Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Holiday Meal Drive!

Hello everyone,

It's with great excitement that I announce a free and easy way for you to help those in need. In the month of December, we are going to be donating one meal to a local food bank (of the total amount of meals raised, 1/2 will be donated in Indianapolis and 1/2 in Raleigh) for every new "like" of our Facebook pages, twitter accounts, and downloads of our App on both the App store and Android Market! With your help and promotion, we will be raising many meals for those in need. We want your help in promoting our drive to fight hunger and giving back to our communities. Through your support, we are going to help those in need during a trying time of year. Please show your support by suggesting that all of your friends like/follow/DL our app! A couple clicks of your mouse can mean many meals heading off to local food banks!

Links to our pages are below, thank you for your continued support!

Facebook:
    Indianapolis – http://www.facebook.com/TheChefsAcademy
    North Carolina – http://www.facebook.com/TheChefsAcademy.NC

Twitter:
    Indianapolis – http://www.twitter.com/TheChefsAcademy
    North Carolina – http://www.twitter.com/NCChefsAcademy

iPhone App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-chefs-academy/id412552493?mt=8

Android Market: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.u360mobile.chefsacademy&hl=en

Micro-Blog: Sheba Andrews

Here I am in term two of TCA’s Baking and Pastry program and I am still in awe of the greatness that surrounds me. I have gained so much within the few months that I’ve been a Pastry student. Not only can I make delicious loaves of bread from scratch and creamy custards, now I can cut a potato into cute little ¼ in. dices. How cool is that? I can’t begin to tell you how thankful I am that I stepped out on faith to pursue my dreams. I truly believe that I am in the place where I belong right now. I can’t express how awesome the Chefs, staff and students are. I am sure when I talk about my experience at TCA, people may believe that I am over exaggerating but it’s a feeling that has to be manifested on a personal level.  I have no regrets as I continue to move forward.
Fermenting My Future,
Sheba Andrews

Monday, November 14, 2011

Micro Blog: Jessica Vittoria

“That’s Life”
How many of you have had a job, where you had to work with someone you didn’t get along with? I know I have. Unfortunately, that’s life. I know working with others can be difficult. I have had jobs like that in the past, but you can’t let it affect you.  No matter where you go, whether its work or traveling, there may be that one person or group that can spread negativity. What you need to know is, “ignorance is bliss.” For Example, let’s say you’re working at your ideal job, executive chef or head pastry chef and you’re in the kitchen preparing your plate, and someone under you (dishwasher/buss boy) criticizes your dessert or, entrĂ©e. How would you react, what would you say, or do? Sometimes you will feel the urge to tell them to mind their own business and return to their job, but being in this field you have to learn the “respect factor.” It will take you further, and make you look like the bigger, better person. Being in the food service industry I think the most important aspect is and always will be the customer. Eliminate the negativity, and trade it for positivity. I have learned recently the best way to avoid this type of situation is to move on. Passion and pride is the key to your future, and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.

~With a Passion for Pastry~
Jessica Vittoria





   


Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Cupcake Couture welcomes new Executive Chef

Baton Rouge, LA.  High fashion meets delectable desserts at one famous cupcake shop where graduate of The Chef’s Academy, Rhiannon Spafford now calls home.  Spafford finished her education working as a baker at Cupcake Couture, a gourmet bakeshop in Louisiana, and has recently been promoted to Executive Chef.  The bakery’s name reaches beyond red carpet stature. From baking 300 cupcakes for actor Christian Slater, to tryouts for Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, Cupcake Couture is anything but ordinary. Spafford feels her experience is anything but ordinary as well. “Within my first two weeks I was baking hundreds of red velvet cupcakes for a famous actor,” says Spafford, “and it was the training at school that helped immensely with recipe conversions and development.” The two day weekend pastry arts program at The Chef’s Academy is far different than the traditional class meetings of four days per week. The value for many weekend students is the ability to start and complete projects during the time allotted in one day. “Being able to adjust and create new recipes with the time given during the weekend is the value I took from training at The Chef’s Academy.”  Over the past few months, Spafford has not only excelled in her externship, but has taken over more responsibility within the bakery. “After the first couple of weeks, I had keys to the store,” says Spafford, “they really love me here.”  With more responsibility comes more opportunities, and for pastry grads like Spafford, the future is growing brighter every day.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Micro Blog: Barbara Hicks

    After dropping out of school at a very young age, returning to school was one of the best decisions I have made in my short, but complex life. Growing up I thought that I could not be taught like my peers.
    On December 8, 2007, I attended Wake Technical Community College to earn my G.E.D and further my education. I realized that I could learn and be taught like everyone else. I understood the teaching methods and learned just like my class mates. To my surprise, I enjoyed it a great deal. After walking across the stage to receive my diploma, I wanted to learn more and more. That being said, I applied to a local College. I felt that I could do anything I put my mind to. It was a huge campus with tons of students. The first semester I was really excited. My grades were not the best but I was passing my classes. The second semester was not that great. My classes got harder and I needed more help than other students. Most of the time I would try to get extra help from my instructors, but unfortunately they had a schedule to keep. Trying to make appointments to see different professors’ became too much for my schedule.
    My G.P.A. began to drop slowly. Being that I have three children and a husband, it was impossible to rearrange my schedule to meet with instructors on their most convenient time. To avoid getting kicked out, I just decided not to register for any more classes. I thought that it was the end of my education in Culinary Arts.
     On a beautiful April the thirteenth, (my oldest son’s birthday), we were listening to the radio, (ninety seven point five), I heard a advertisement for a new school being built in North Carolina called The Chef’s Academy. I told my son to write down the number. While I was driving I called the number that he wrote down. A very polite lady answered by the name of Ashley Hanslits. She invited me to come in for a meeting. After making an appointment with her, I came in the following Tuesday. To say the least, it made all my dreams come true. She immediately made me feel like this is where I belonged if I love to cook and wanted this as a profession.
    The Chef’s Academy of North Carolina is amazing to say the least. Everything is “hands on.” The instructors and staff are there for me whenever I need them. My chefs are ready to answer all my question at all times. All the staff members will go the extra mile to help me get the answers to whatever question I might have.
    I have never felt more confident at school in my life. I have the drive, the motivation, the inspiration to be the best in my field. That comes from my adoring children and loving husband who demand the best from me. The staff, the chefs, and instructors are awesome. I am blessed and honored to be a part of The Chef’s Academy of Morrisville, North Carolina.
                                                                                               
Sincerely, Barbara Hicks