In Eight Short Days...

... I'll be attending my first culinary class in the REOC's 16-week program. For four months, from June 12th until September 29th, I'll be at the Rochester Red Cross from 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Each day begins with a couple hours of classroom lecture on topics such as nutrition, sanitation, knife skills, culinary math and recipe conversion, costing, purchasing, and management. After the daily lecture, the next five hours are spent in production, cooking the 1000-1400 hot meals a day that are part of the local Meals on Wheels program. The manager/chef of the program, Greg Christo, has told me that after I complete the program, I should be able to comfortably work in any kitchen that would hire me. He's a Certified Executive Chef and has a degree from the Culinary Institute of America, and has many, many connections. His students frequently have great opportunities to work at local events, such as the LPGA, and the Alzheimer's Association gala. He also claimed that he has more employment offers than students graduating from the course, so there will hopefully be no shortage of great jobs I can land this fall. Not that I mind my current restaurant, it's a great summer job, but I think better long-term, full-time possibilities exist.

So Tuesday I go down to the REOC's HQ to have my photo ID picture taken, and to officially register. This week I also have to buy 2 more sets of uniforms (chef coats and checks), and make some sort of stab at getting my sleeping schedule under control... I currently can't fall asleep before 3 or 4 AM. I can't imagine that will jive with the class schedule for very long, so it's time to start finding ways to fall asleep a little earlier. It's going to be an interesting but productive summer. It might be tough at times, going to class early in the mornings, and then some nights working till 2 AM or later. But by the time October rolls around, things are going to look alot different for me!