Micro-blog from student Clint Wood

I was part of one of the biggest graduation classes at The Chef’s Academy that graduated on Saturday the 6^th of November 2010. I would like to tell you how it felt from my point of view and what I was able to visually see happen right in front of my eyes.  

I am the middle child in my family so I have always been competitive towards my siblings, trying to get the attention of our parents since I wasn’t the first born, or the baby.  As I grew up and got out of those childish ways I realized that our parents loved us all the same.  I came to Indianapolis in 2008 and started my life at The Chef’s Academy where through term after term I continued to adapt and over-come all of the voices in my head saying, “you can’t do it!”  I am here to tell you that with hard work and perseverance you can finish your goal here at The Chef’s Academy and the feeling you will get the day you graduate will be one that you will never forget.  I was waiting for everybody to show up and when they started playing the graduation music I started tearing up, but me being a man, trying to not look like a big softy, I held it in. Going across the stage to get my degree and to shake hands with all the people that helped me through, and kept the fire burning in my life, and who kept me from giving up is wonderful.

-Clint East Wood

Micro-blog from student Hannah Kester

Being at The Chef’s Academy has been great! As a new student leaving home for the first time, I was extremely nervous. My first day of class I met so many new people that I felt like I was home. All of us became such fast friends. It definitely made the transition easier. Being away from home for the first time is tough. Moving into housing with three others girls… even harder! I was worried about having roommates that would not like me or we would not get along. I was wrong. All of us got along just fine. The thing about TCA is that they don’t let just anyone into the school. Everyone that I have met I have liked! That is a huge plus! I do not think that a single person comes into TCA and is not welcomed right away. I have only been at TCA for about a month now, but I feel like I have been there for a year. People are so nice there and understanding. It is like we have all known each other our whole lives!
            The classes at TCA are better than I could have imagined. My first day was exciting. They are so fun. I thought that they were going to be extremely hard. The way the instructors teach class and communicate with us helps me enjoy it so much more. It is not a boring class. They make it interesting and fun all the time. I absolutely love being at TCA. It was definitely the right choice of school. I think TCA is a great place for anyone especially if they are leaving home for the first time. Everyone here is like family and we all have a blast! TCA is a great school to go to!

Micro-blog from Student Faye Williams

Ever heard the song, "Somethings gotta go wrong, cause I'm feeling way too d*@# good?"  How about everything, yes, I mean everything going good for you in your life and then something totally out of your control happens to bring you to your knees?  I have!  To what first became a startling revelation that I have no business walking around in the back yard, in the dark, to breaking a leg will, and did stop me in my tracks, I realized that in order to finish school and further my career, I am going to have to take care of myself.  Right up until the day I broke my leg, I had been cramming way too much into my schedule, professional and personal life.  I couldn't allow myself to say no, for fear I might miss out of some opportunity.  As I spent endless hours, on my couch, lamenting the fact that I was incapacitated, I realized that in order to be effective, I truly needed to structure my life.  No more late nights partying, no more volunteering for every opportunity that comes down the pike, no more staying up till all hours of the weekday nights studying so as to convince myself that I must make a 100% on every test I take.  Now days, there is no partying, I am trying to cut back on volunteering for everything, I don't feel obligated to make perfect grades, even though I am still maintaining my postition on the Dean's List, and my leg is slowly healing.  I am very grateful to be back at school, and on my way to realizing my dream of becomming a chef. Faye E. Williams

Micro-Blog from Student Josh Francis

On the Cusp of a Victory

I have been with The Chef's Academy since the 8th of March of this year, and as another term comes to an end I have seen competitions come and go at the school as well as a few competitions outside of the school. My blog was due the day of The Clash of the Tailgaters, but I decided to hold off because I had two more competitions following that one. After competing in the Clash of the Tailgaters, I competed in an ACF sanctioned competition at the McFarling food show at Lucas Oil Stadium. At this competition I was the first competitor that was judged. I only earned a certificate of participation, but all of the information that I gained was priceless. This brings me to my last competition: the Huantsburg Chili Cook off in Brownsburg, IN. On my team was Rhiannon Spafford (a fellow TCA student and member of the Student Advisory board). We had a few obstacles to overcome, but we did it, and when it came down to it at the end of the day we won First Place with our Voodoo Chili that we used not just two weeks prior at the Clash competition. We took to heart what the judges and public told us, and improved upon the recipe and it paid off. Does any of this rambling have a message? Simply put, be patient and persistent when competing in the kitchen. When one doesn't win right away, they have two choices: they can quit, and not do it anymore, or they can learn from what they did and push through the disappointment that comes with loss.

My name is Josh, and I am a competitive culinarian.

Student Emily Auth Micro-blog

The Most Difficult Lesson

Life is one big lesson. For those of you who have yet to figure this out, well, I wish you luck. Learning for me is a big deal. Given unlimited funding, I would probably spend all of my time in school, studying anything and everything of interest. I am very enthusiastic to add my degree from the Chef’s Academy to my Bachelors from Indiana University in 2011, and it is unlikely I will stop there. Case in point, I love to learn.

From my perspective, most of life’s lessons are not something we acquire intentionally. Some of the hardest lessons come at the expense of others. One of my favorite anti-motivational poster quotes states: “It could be that the purpose of your life is to serve as a warning to others.” Humorous but painfully frank, I try to learn from the mistakes of my peers. Unfortunately, it is more often than not my own mistakes teach the hardest lessons.

Chef Hamilton was my instructor for 101 last term. I admire him not only for his obvious skill in the classroom, but his patience with a challenging class. I didn’t think that I personally would need his help, hoping that I would pick up the material very quickly on my own. I had no idea just how wrong I was.

We began breakfast cookery, starting on the basics. It was then that I met my match: the incredible, rumored to be amazingly edible, egg. One ingredient means no margin for error. It also requires far more patience than has been required of me for awhile. This much was obvious to Chef Hamilton because I became visibly frustrated in class. I could not get my eggs over easy just right. This was evident by the growing pile of “sunny-side up” failures directly behind my station.

Chef Hamilton strolled over, wondering why I had apparently given up. With that coy, boyish smile of his he said, “Show me what the problem is.” He stood there, watching my work on egg after egg until I got it right, instructing and directing me through every step. My confidence increased as I finally turned out one single perfect over-easy egg. I was elated, and he moved on to help the next student.

I do not think Chef Hamilton realized the events that transpired that day, and probably went about his business as usual. However, I will never forget. What he taught me was not just how to make an egg. Chef Hamilton taught me the value of patience, and more importance, the value of humility. Everyone needs help sometimes, and being afraid to ask for it will never help you improve. I voted for Chef Hamilton as instructor of the term for this very reason. He has given me the confidence, patience and humility that will make me a great chef. I will never stop learning and I vow to treat my fellow students, colleagues and hopefully, proteges with the same patience and respect as Chef Hamilton did for me that day.

New Bike Racks on Campus

The bike racks are here!

If you have not noticed, The Chef’s Academy now has bicycle racks installed.
In an effort to accommodate the request of a few students and to become more environmentally friendly we have installed two bike racks that will accommodate up to six bicycles each.

It was a very long process to procure the racks but we have them securely installed now. Please utilize these racks to secure your ride if you commute to or from The Chef’s Academy via bicycle. You can find the bicycle racks located in the front of the building by the visitor parking spaces.

Student Dan Scalf Micro-blog

The Chef’s Academy’s 2nd Annual Rib Cook off was held on Friday the 23rd of July. Although there were not as many entries as we had hoped for, everyone that participated in the grilling as well as the tasting and voting had a great time!
Man it was smoking hot and I am not just talking about the grills!
The National Weather Service had issued a heat advisory for Marion County that day, I do not recall the exact temperature with heat index but the only thing hotter than the weather was Rodney Franklin and Patrick Early’s Raspberry/Chipotle sauce. Ha! I really doubt there was much raspberry in that sauce! Just kidding guys, it was great.

The tasting only cost a measly $5 and participants could taste as many as 6 or 7 different ribs prepared by The Chef’s Academy students. The participants could then vote for their favorite ribs. The judging was performed by a panel of 5 judges comprised of Chef/ instructors of The Chef’s Academy, student advisory board member, and other staff and volunteers.
We would like to congratulate Ryan Beck for winning first place at the 2nd Annual Rib Cook off! We would also like to give special mention to Jenna Turner and Tanya Russell for winning the People's Choice award.
If you missed it this year well you just missed it!
Students, make a point next time to display your talent and abilities, join in on the fun and camaraderie these events provide.
Tasters, voters, friends, family, and general public, please come out and support our students, the future chef’s of the world.
Our next competition will be the Clash of the Tailgaters, on Friday, September 17, 2011!