The garden was located at the back of the unit, and instead of watching television or aimlessly wandering the halls, I witnessed the residents spend hours tilling the soil, planting seeds, tending the young shoots, harvesting the fruits of their labor, and finally cooking and serving their creations. What can be more inspiring than knowing you can feed yourself and your friends? The change in their appearance was remarkable. Gardening and cooking was not just a hobby, it was a metaphor for their ability to regenerate themselves in mind and body. My dream is to own my own restaurant, a place where all of the food on the menu is grown and raised on-premises. I would also like to employ members of the community along with professional hospitality staff to serve in the restaurant and tend the garden. My hero is Dan Barber, a man who has successfully united...

Interning with him someday is my dream. Surviving in the hospitality industry can be grueling, but Barber illustrates it is possible to do so without sacrificing higher principles.
Over the course of my own career, I see myself fighting to change laws that impede access to healthy food and also hosting workshops and courses on cooking and agriculture for children and adults. At FCI I hope to gain the necessary technical knowledge and networking skills to create my vision of a sustainable restaurant. I have lived in rural and urban areas and am personally familiar with the cuisines and cooking techniques of Europe and the Caribbean. Fusing old cultures and new flavors with an ancient respect for the land and the environment is my signature as a chef: an ideal that I learned at my father's side.