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. 

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?

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?

Second Interview Questions

I will be interviewing Chef Shane, the executive chef in my ROP class, for my second interview.
Here are some questions I would ask him:

1. What was you experience in the field of a pastry chef prior to teaching here at CAI?
2. How long have you been teaching here and why did you decide to teach?
3. Were there differences of working as a chef and a pastry chef?
4. Did you graduate as a major in culinary and where?
5. Right off the bat, did you know you were going to be a chef?
6. What, for you, is the most important skill to have to becoming a successful chef?
7. Do you have other culinary-related goals than just being a chef instructor?
8. I heard you are strict in the kitchen, based on your prior experiences, does it help when managing your department?
9. Do you have any recommendations that I can follow to become an A student here at CAI?
10. How many students that you had under your wings are you proud of, that you think has been successful in the field?

Interview Check

Who are you interviewing and why? What additional questions will you ask them (in addition to the 5 we require)


I am going to have Chef Samantha Cassidy for my first interview. She is the pastry chef at the Culinary Arts Institute where I am taking ROP classes. I'm taking her baking class and her cake decoration for next semester. I want to interview Chef Sam because she is an expertise when it comes to pastries and becoming a pastry chef rather than interviewing the other chefs. I plan to ask her if she had a job as a pastry chef before she became a teacher at CAI, what challenges she had to take on in the course of studying and becoming a pastry chef, and when and how she realized she wants to become a pastry chef.


Rhythm of Love