Senior Project Reflection

1) Positive Statement
I'm proud of my activities even though it didn't go like it was supposed to on the lesson plan. In senior projects, I'm proud of service learning because I had the most fun in that project.

2) Questions to Consider
a) I don't think I deserve a P because I had to pause a lot and think of what I was going to say. I knew the info I had to say but it was hard for me to voice it out.
b) To me, I felt like I did what I could for a P.

3) What worked for you?
I liked how we can pick our own topic. Service learning was a good experience for me and I feel like because I actually sought for that ROP, I opened a good opportunity for service learning relating to culinary arts for future seniors.

4) What didn't work for you?
Senior Project as a whole is very overwhelming. It was such a big strain because the way the projects were scheduled was all clumped up. For example, the week of my exit interview, we have a physics test, a math final and an I-search paper due. On top of that had to finish our 3-column chart and research binder. Help of all kind and from different teachers were great but you're already graded thus it's almost impossible to fix your mistakes.

5) Finding Value
I found an alternative for an expensive culinary school- my ROP. I also feel like I opened an opportunity for future seniors that wants to go into culinary but can't find service learning and independent component hours.

2- Hour Presentation

Lesson Plan

Service Learning

Literal

Log of 50 hours

Culinary Arts Institute (CAI)

201 W. Orangethorpe Ave., Fullerton CA 92832 

714-502-5970

Interpretation

The most important thing I gained in my service learning is learning to make different kinds of desserts. I also improved my plating skills a lot. Also, getting my toes in the water for culinary school. This is important because now I’m a little ahead if I ever go to culinary school in the future. This school also gave me the opportunity to further improve my skills there.

Applied

My service learning in CAI helped me answer my EQ by having me experience first hand how important each of my answers are. Communication and common practice were a little challenging when you are working with people that are knew to you or are older. Food presentation was the easiest because you wee basically independent on that. 

3-Column Chart

Link is also under links tab.
3 Column Chart

Helping 2013

I interviewed JD Pabon on Tuesday (05/22/12) at 12:45pm. He is interested in culinary and specifically wants something relating to pastries.


1) What ideas do you have for your senior project and why?

• I'm definitely doing something in the field of culinary, like pastry, because that is specifically what I want to major in college.
• Since I have the same topic as his, I told him about my the hours he could get if he goes to the same ROP class I go to. I told him that it is fun to study pastries. I also told him to be careful coming up with his EQ. 

2) What do you plan to do to complete the 10 hours of service learning (working with an expert) which is due prior to senior year starting?

• I'm looking if I can get hours from my uncle who owns a restaurant in the Philippines. He already agreed that he will let me cook in the restaurant.
• I've been talking to JD even before this interview so had knowledge about the ROP class I take in Fullerton. About the hours he gets in the Philippines, I advised him to ask Purther about it. I also told him to not forget to take pictures for evidence.

3) What do you hope to see or expect to see when watching the class of 2012 present their two hour presentations?

• I just expect that I learn something new, learn a lot, and see them have fun.
• I heard about other juniors expecting a lot from senior presentations but not from JD. I asked him not to expect that much because not all of 2012 can still speak smoothly in front of a crowd. Of course, there will always be the nervousness. I also told him to just have fun and respect the presenters.

4) What questions do they have about senior project?  What additional recommendations would you give the 2013 student about senior project?

• How much did you pay for the classes and you're taking a pastry class, right? When do they start? How can I get ahead in a way?
• I told him it's all free- books, uniform, and the class. They start the same or a week later school starts. To get ahead, I told him that since he's taking a class at my ROP, he is good to go for his two Independent Components, and Service Learning. For research, he can start with the foundation since his mind was already set on pastries. 

Independent Component 2

Log of Hours

A Doc uploaded on Google Docs

click here
Evidence

Pictures of what we did in class

click here

Literal:

• I, Donna Mae Ratonel, affirm that I completed my independent component, which represents 90 hours of work.
• I enrolled in advanced baking that goes over a much more cumbersome desserts.This class had better techniques, teams, and time management.  There were also a couple of one-on-one teaching because the instructor had less students to focus on. We were also taught more about making our own garnishes and different type of techniques.
  
  

Interpretive:

The class taught me better time management which is important to becoming a pastry chef. Communication was a lot easier but also because there were less people to communicate with. My creativity was challenge because everyone was stepping up on their plate. My instructor was almost always impressed with my work (plating and taste) which was really nice.

Applied:

Advanced Baking definitely helped me solidify 3 of my answers for my EQ. Chemistry was cleared up with making desserts that was made up different components that was fairly hard to do. Food Presentation was big in this class. I feel that I excelled a lot in that part. Finally, communication was easier and speaking up in a team went better for me, especially when I was chef of the day.

Independent Component 2 Plan Approval

1) Write a description of what you plan on doing for your independent study component.
I'm going to take the Advanced Baking class from the same school. Hopefully, they teach me more about the value of communication and organization in the kitchen.


2)Describe in detail how you think your plan will meet the 30 hours work requirement.
Since it's a class that covers a whole semester, it has a total of more than 100 hours. I'll have to attend class for at least a month to meet 30 hours.


3)How does your independent study component relate to your EQ?
This class will help me further develop and understand skills that is important for a pastry chef. 

Independent Component I

Log of Hours

A Pdf uploaded on Google Docs

click here

Evidence

Pictures of what we did in class

click here

Literal:

• I, Donna Mae Ratonel, affirm that I completed my independent component, which represents 30 hours of work.
• I joined a Culinary ROP class in Fullerton with a total of 190 hours (a part of my hours here is also my service learning.) I attended with only one or two missing classes throughout first semester. I learned how to do numerous types of bread and desserts. I learned different skills like plating, making the bread, the roles of each ingredients, and learning what we did wrong if we messed up. The class also taught me how to practice safety and etiquettes in the kitchen as well as working in different teams.

Interpretive:

Being in the class with good instructors and teammates, taught me how to communicate well in the kitchen as well as using kitchen terms. Our book, Professional Baking, which we had to read and take notes on, helped me understand the importance of chemistry in baking. Our instructor also helped a lot with explaining how to decorate our plate with playing with the fundamentals of plating.

Applied:

The hours I spent in Culinary Arts Institute were great. My EQ, “What is the most important skill of a successful pastry chef?” was answered in a first-hand way. I learned that communication skills is important and that artistic skills is nothing if you don’t understand the chemistry that goes on when you’re making a dish.

Answer 3

"What is the most important skill of a successful pastry chef?"

1) A pastry chef must practice good communication skills in order to work well in the kitchen.

2) Evidence and Sources.

• Learning culinary terms. Service Learning in Culinary Arts Institute under Chef Samantha Weisenberg.

• Messing up the recipe. Boyle, Tish, and Timothy Moriarty. A Neoclassical View of Plated Desserts. New York: John Wiley, 2000. Print.

• Communication between shifts. Fourth Interview- Chef Jennifer Villaruz

Room Creativity

1) How do you plan to address the room creativity expectation?

            I will have pictures of plated desserts I did for my ROP class around the class. Put pastel and café like table covers. I also would like the class to smell like a bakery just to get into the ambience.

2) What activity ideas do you have for answer 1 or 2?

I will have the class draw plated crepes to give them a head start for my first activity. This is also perfect for the students who didn’t have breakfast. They will have pictures to look at on their tables. So for my first answer, which is food presentation, I’m going to have the class decorate their crepes based on what they had from the sponge. Similar to what I had the class do from my 20-minute presentation. I changed my first answer to chemistry and I plan to have the class do a measurement quiz or tasting tests. I changed my first answer to chemistry and I plan to have the class do a measurement quiz or tasting tests. 

Answer 2

"What is the most important skill of a successful pastry chef?"


1) A successful pastry chef must have good plating skills.


2) Evidence and Sources

• Feeding customers' eyes. It's important for your customers to be interested in your product even before tasting it in their mouth. Wemischner, Robert. The Dessert Architect. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar, 2010. Print.
• There are four things a plated dessert should have- height, color, taste, texture. From Chef Samantha Weisenberg in Culinary Arts Institute.
• Must stay current in trends. It's important to be kept updated with the trends just like in fashion. "Anatomy of a Dessert: Make Sure It's Simple." Monkeydish.com. Web. 8 Mar. 2012. <http://www.monkeydish.com/20-minute-university/anatomy-dessert-make-sure-its-simple>.

The Product

My service learning in Culinary Arts Institute is what gave me my product. After two classes in their school, Basic Baking and Safety and Sanitation, I now have (and practice) good kitchen etiquettes and I can make all sorts of desserts. I gained a Basic Baking certificate and a Safety and Sanitation Certificate that verifies I passed the class. I also got A's in both of them. Plus, I got a SerfSave Certificate, which gives me the advantage to work in the food industry.

Fourth Interview Questions

1. What is your position in the kitchen?
2. What do you think is the most important skill you should work on becoming a pastry chef?
3. What skills do you often use in your job?
4. Do you have any particular skills you are proud of? What are they?
5. What are the common mistakes you find when plating a dessert?
6. Have you had a kitchen disaster story? Tell me about it.
7. Would you agree that being a culinary chef is more spontaneous than being a pastry chef? Why?
8. What factors do you account into when finishing a dessert?
9. Do you agree that communication skills are important as a pastry chef? Could you explain to me what exactly “communication” is in the kitchen?
10. How about in customers?
11. Do you follow trends in plating? What are the trends and how would you know them?
12. Any book recommendations that will help me answer my EQ?
13. What is your favorite dessert to make?
14. How was your experience in school?
15. What have you learned from your mentors?
16. How was the interning like?
17. How is your job stressful?
18. How do you know that making desserts or working in hotels is your passion?
19. Do you have the freedom to be creative in your job?
20. What is more important in making desserts, chemistry or creativity?

Presentation 2 Rough Draft

Rough Draft

Answer 1

"What is the most important skill to have to become a successful pastry chef?"


1. One must develop great stamina in order to become a successful pastry chef.


2. Evidences:

•  Pastry chefs starts working at around 3 or 4 in the morning and their work could last for a whole day. They are also always on their feet. The kitchen would not have seats or benches for chefs or anyone to sit on. "Pastry Chef | Read a Pastry Chef Job Description." All Culinary Schools - Culinary Art Schools | Get Information on Culinary Schools, Restaurant Management Schools and Careers. Web. 27 Jan. 2012. <http://www.allculinaryschools.com/culinary-careers/guide/baking-pastry/pastry-chef-job?lob=culinary>.
• Developing your stamina also means staying fit. Exercising doesn't only build up stamina but it also keeps a chef healthy. A healthy chef will have less sick days, less stress, and can cut down all the weight from the buttery pastries. Minasian, Sarah. "Chefs Learn That Staying Fit Is Key to Stamina | Nation's Restaurant News | Find Articles." Find Articles | News Articles, Magazine Back Issues & Reference Articles on All Topics. 13 Sept. 1999. Web. 27 Jan. 2012. <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_37_33/ai_55821108/>.
• Stamina doesn't only go with having to stand around all day. It is a pain to be on your feet for several hours but it is exhausting when you are making pastries that require strenuous methods like kneading. If you are whipping cream, and your electricity outlet busts out, you're going to have to whip it fast for who knows how long. Based on personal experience.

3. I found the evidences on blurbs and articles from the internet. Also, experience is my most important resource.

Service Learning

I am taking a basic baking class and a safety and sanitation class for my service learning. My hours for my baking class sums up to have about 100 hours. We've bake all sorts of desserts in class. I'm almost done with the photo slide that i will be posting up. We've had a substitute since December so our dishes have been random and not plated. I couldn't take pictures of them also but I logged them in. For my Safety and Sanitation class, I have about 70 hours in that class. It's a class that will get a SafeServ certificate. We just took the test yesterday and I hope I get really good results since it's a piece of cake. We learned the rules and regulations to be in the food industry. My classes will end the same time first semester ends. I'm planning to do more service learning, probably take a cake decorating class around my area.

The contact for my hours will be the office of my school:

Culinary Arts Institute (CAI)
201 W. Orangethorpe Ave., Fullerton CA 92832 
714-502-5970

Third Interview Questions

Unfortunately, Chef Samantha, my baking teacher is on maternal leave. But our substitute chef is really nice to agree for an interview. I will be interviewing Chef Mario, who studied in New York at a French culinary school.
1. What do you believe is the most important thing your French mentors taught you?
2. What skill would you recommend a novice chef to improve on the most?
3. What is/are the hardest part of your training to becoming a patissier?
4. As you were working at the hotels, what were the heavy demands on your skills?
5. Tell me about the time you were in under serious pressure in your job.
6. How do you execute your own creative vision?
7. In what cases did you have to use your business skills?
8. In what kind of desserts do you have to completely master in- chocolate, french pastries, frozen desserts, etc.?
9. When did you ever take charge of the kitchen when the head chef isn't there? What happened?
10. How is being a pastry chef rewarding?