Where My Passion for the Hospitality Industry Began

Assabet Valley Regional Vocational High School was the high school I chose to attend instead of the traditional Marlboro High School.  My passion as a boy was cars as is the case with most boys.  I wanted to have a career as an auto mechanic or in auto body repair or restoration.  I could not wait to get that part of my life started.  

So in the fall of 1985, feels like a life time ago, I walked into the Food Trades (what the culinary program was called way back then) not expecting much.  The only reason I chose that exploratory class was due to the fact I heard it was the most popular choice.  I really had no expectations as to where this would lead.  I really never thought much about food as my mother had no cooking skills and my dad just made mostly kicked up junk food for the family.  

I can honestly say my first week in food trades changed my life.  WOW!!! Is this what food really tastes like?  I tried so many new ingredients and the first time I had a piece of meat cooked medium rare, it melted in my mouth.  I never looked back and school was never the same for me as I couldn’t wait for the next day and new culinary experience.  Assabet’s Food Trades offered a rotating schedule through each area of the program (Baking, Hot Line and Dining Room).  Each area was exciting to me as they challenged me to learn new skills as well as shaped my future leadership skills.  To the day I can’t thank the Chef Instructors enough for believing in me and challenging me daily.  They help shaped my future and I couldn’t be happier. 

Thanks to my Assabet Valley education I applied to Johnson & Wales University Advance Standing Program.  The Program accepted 90 Culinary Arts Students and 20 Baking Pastry Arts Students.  I was 1 of the 90 Culinary Arts students accepted into the program.  The Advance Standing Program was open to any student that either had prior culinary classroom training or culinary experience.  The program course schedule was Monday – Friday 7am to 9am Academic Courses and 9:15am – 4pm Hands Lab work June thru August.  Successful completion of the program was equivalent to your freshman year.  It was a demanding schedule of classroom work and homework as well as holding down a full time job.  I guess this is where I developed my work ethic and became immune to long hours and hectic schedules.   

My favorite lab courses were Garde Manger and Saucier.  The techniques and skills both of these courses instilled are used in all styles of cooking I have been involved with.  I still absolutely love making sauces and soups.  I enjoy the patience it takes to develop great flavors. 

During my time at Johnson & Wales, I was fortunate to be able to complete a semester of education at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida.  During my time there I was involved with banquet kitchen and was assigned as the Banquet Sous Chef in my 3 week in the kitchen and was responsible for all banquet functions during my shifts.  I was also assigned to the Garde Manger Kitchen and was involved with a banquet event for President Reagan.  My final assignment was it there 2 full service restaurants Cascades and Hemingway’s. Cascades was their casual family dining restaurant and Hemingway’s was their fine dining grill restaurant. 

I graduated Johnson & Wales in the spring of 1990 with a A.O.S. degree in Culinary Arts and a GPA of 3.86 and graduated in the top 5% of my class.