My name is Nkosi Cantey.
I am a man of many hats, but the biggest one I currently wear would be my chefs hat. I’ve been working in the hospitality industry straight out of high school only to now enroll in school. Better late than never right ? I ultimately hope to acquire my degree not just to help my career but to show as an accomplishment to my daughter. Something I can be proud of.
I have been working in kitchens professionally for about 8 years now but I have been cooking all my life. My mom would have me help her bake wedding cakes as a kid and I’ve been passionate about it since. Professionally, I started off busing tables and worked my way up until eventually becoming a kitchen manager and overseeing my entire Heart of House staff. I’ve done it all from line cooking and prep cooking, to placing orders, interviews, hiring and firing. I even opened up my own restaurant for a short period of time. Through my experience I can tell you that it is not easy at all. In fact, the better you are doing the harder it actually gets. It takes loads of planning and perfect execution. Putting 12+ hour shifts 6 days a week at times. Finding reliable staff that won’t quit after after 2 week. Keeping your cool when everyone is yelling at you and tickets are piling up. Dealing with super needy guest. The list goes on.
So why would I choose this career path ? After knowing how stressful it can be. After realizing all the sweat, blood and tears (especially tears) that goes into these establishments to make them successful. The reason is quite simple. Besides being a mad man, I am a man who loves to cook. I love the rush. The fact that no matter whats going on in the world, I can completely immerse myself in my work. The feeling of clearing a board on a busy weekend. The bonds you build with your fellow chefs will be unforgettable as you travel through hell and back some nights. Learning to cook new dishes and new techniques you can bring home and impress friends and dates with. Working in a restaurant can be a wonderful. ( When things go according to plan of course). The industry chose me and I’ve been passionate about it ever since. My goal now is to open my own concept. I’m currently drafting my menu and recipe book. I got approved for a loan so I’m hoping to up and running by spring next year.
I grew up with 5 siblings and tons of cousins. Lets just say my house was the spot. Growing up in a crazy environment taught me how to drown out noise and focus on whats in front of me. Being able to keep my cool when everything else is out of wack. Who knew something like this would help me out in the kitchen. I am patient and I have good memory. It takes a lot to frustrate me or for that matter bother me at all. I wasn’t the most organized growing up but if there was one thing the kitchen taught me fast is that the best way to be consistent( which is key in this industry) is to be organized.
This industry isn’t for everyone. At times you will want to walk out the joint. But once you get the hang of it, things get better.Like all things practice makes perfect. So for those brave or mad enough to step into this industry, buckle up now. This ride WILL be bumpy
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Nkosi, I think this is your eProfile assignment for HMGT 1101–is that right? So much of what you explore here can be a starting point for your education narrative. To make that switch, you’ll need to refocus on one part of this. For example, if you too the paragraph that begins with you working in 8 different kitchens, you could expand on what you learned, or how your experience at the first shaped your experience at the second all the way up to where you are now or where you want to be in the future. In that case, you would focus on what you learned and how that shaped you–or if you want to go a different direction, maybe you want to call out the industry to explain how your experiences show there’s real need for change (like Michael Caton does about architecture). If you want to go in a different direction for your education narrative, please do, but know that you have some great starting points here, and you can expand in a different direction with a different purpose to shape your work for ENG 1101 Project #1.
thank you for the comment.I will explain in greater details my kitchen experience and how it shaped my view of the kitchen. I came in “wide eyed” and even though i’m still passionate about what I do I know that dedication it takes as well. this comment was very helpful thank you.
I’m so glad this was helpful for you! I’m excited to learn more about the education you received throughout your time in the kitchen. For everyone interested in culinary, you might consider what motivated that passion, how you learned, in what kitchens, and from whom. I’m guessing there are some powerful stories of learning to cook from family members that motivated you on your way into new kitchens with new teachers that eventually led you to City Tech–which is itself only one stop in your path.