Kayla Beaver (Eldred, PA) likes the fast pace of the kitchen and found her home at Alfred State in the culinary arts program.
The size of the school and the hands-on opportunities led Kayla to Alfred State. “I like Alfred, it's a small community like my high school. Everybody gets along very well. At some schools you are in the lab once or twice a week but here you are in the lab every single day.”
She was drawn to culinary because she liked the business and stress of the kitchen “I enjoy always having something to do and there is never really much downtime. I wanted to get more of the educational background.”
Being in the kitchen daily is a highlight for Kayla, “You are not sitting in the classroom just staring at a screen, you are actually working behind the line, making the orders, and serving in the production kitchen.”
She appreciates that her professors are right by her side while she is learning. “I am the type of person who likes to have something explained to me and then I will do it. I like to ask my chef (questions) to make sure I am doing it correctly. They are very good at explaining and showing me how to do it right.”
Kayla enjoys working in the Refinery as a line cook, “It is an organized stress. I enjoy the stress and how at the end you feel good and everybody is telling you that your food is good and that you did a good job.”
Kayla has enjoyed gathering the ingredients for success and is excited to finish the recipe.