Getting Prepared for Culinary School

Have you ever had a dream that was rooted so deep inside your soul it seemed an almost impossible goal? No matter how hard it might have been to achieve it, you never gave up on believing that one day this dream would become a reality. This dream for me was attending Le Cordon Bleu. Such a prestigious school I was sure would be difficult to be accepted into, but I never doubted that I had the ability to make it. The day that the man sitting in his Le Cordon Bleu office called me and said, “Congratulations Alexandra! I know you are going to be a great asset to this school,” my heart skipped a beat. The dream I had waited so patiently for, finally had arrived.

© All rights reserved by Cherie Krystyna

It was, next to skydiving, one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had in my young life. Next came the odd part. After finally achieving the goal I have had my mind set on for so long, “what do I do now?” was all I could think. This finite question led to the ever popular panic attack that I chose to welcome with open arms. It took a few days, and several words of encouragement from my support team, but I finally was able to grasp my bearings.

So, now that I have conquered the 5 stages of dream achievement: shock, excitement, denial, sheer panic, and finally calm, I’ve started to focus more on preparing for school rather than stressing about the start of it. When one thinks of how someone might prepare for culinary school, my guess is that they assume I am in the kitchen every day, trying to cram as much knowledge about knife work, frying techniques and fork placement into my brain as I possibly can. That assumption would be half correct. School was going to be hard, no doubt in my mind about that, but it will also going to be a fun and an exhilarating adventure.

Where I am now in my culinary expertise, it is hard to learn much more without the help of those much more qualified. In preparing for school, and for the move from Dearborn to Chicago, I have been spending time with friends and family, and visiting some of my favorite restaurants. I have been in the kitchen, cooking some of my favorite dishes like crab encrusted salmon and lasagna. In preparing I have mostly been trying to enjoy my last few months at home and find time to truly relax and look back on all that I have accomplished over the past few years. I have graduated from college, I have traveled around Europe for four months, I went skydiving, I put together a business plan and I was accepted into the school of my dreams. I think I am entitled to a little R & R.

There is one final item that I will be using in preparation and throughout the journey through school: my dream journal. After having accomplished my biggest dream of all, now it is time to set new goals. I have always believed that it is important to be reaching for something, constantly striving for more and striving for better. My dream journal helps me to keep all of my goals ranging from small to large in check and the day I get to cross them out, is yet another day to celebrate. So stay tuned! Perhaps we can help each other reach a few goals together! Until next time, I’d like to leave you with a favorite quote of mine.

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” ~ Henry David Thoreau