Blog 9 - Advisory Prep 3

1. State whether or not you currently have a mentor, and what the status of your interview is with that person (I have completed the interview, I have scheduled the interview, I have not scheduled the interview, etc).

I currently have a mentor but I have not yet scheduled my interview.

2. At this point, your research is probably guiding your studies toward more specific areas within your topic.  Name the area or two you find most promising and explain your reasons.   

Recently I have been looking into the fine dining aspect of culinary arts, which will be very instrumental towards my independent component. I have also been researching into different tips and techniques, whether it be for cooking certain styles of dishes or hosting guests for a dinner party. All of these areas will be very crucial toward my independent component and to reaching a further understanding and knowledge of my topic.

3. What kinds of sources do you think will help you in the next month to gain more research depth?  Where will you go to get them?

I intend to acquire more books to further supplement my research, I feel that such books would contain more concrete and reliable information than what I am getting online. I also believe that I'll be able to look more into specifics and specialties through books. I intend to hunt through the Cal Poly library to find my desired sources.

4. Write down a possible EQ.  Please don't worry about wording other than ensuring that it provides the option for multiple correct answers.  At this point, the senior team is most interested in understanding your thought process.

What element of the dining experience is most crucial to providing a level of satisfaction for the customer?

Blog 6 - Advisory Prep

A typical view of what a chef's apprenticeship would look like. 

1. What has worked well for you concerning senior project this year?  What has made it a positive experience for you?   

So far this year, my mentorship has been enjoyable, really upping my interest in my topic, given that my topic is heavily based on experience, my mentorship has made it easy to build experience. In terms of research, I’ve been able to find some really intriguing information to help build a foundation of knowledge in my topic, also seeing many intricate recipes, has already led me to being creative and trying to make something new. My interview was truly something I found to be really helpful, especially the experiential questions that I was able to ask, learning more about my mentor’s journey helped me to see the possibilities and the work that goes into the field. I am quite glad with my choice of topic, as it strikes a good balance between a topic I am serious enough about but not to the extent that it would kill me, and also the fact that it is fun! Purely the experience of learning and working with something that is fun, creative, and tactile yet not having to use math or science (Other than measurements) has made the senior project worthwhile thus far.

2. What are you finding difficult concerning senior project?  How can you adapt to make that portion work better for you?  How might the senior team help?

In terms of difficulties, I haven’t experienced anything that is yet to concern me. The only matter I was not satisfied with was that I was not able to acquire any specific resources or contacts through my first interview. However, I am still optimistic that through more communication that I will be able to talk to more people in the field, as I feel that with the topic of Culinary Arts, it would be highly beneficial that I absorb multiple views and ideas from various experts. On the other hand, I feel that acquiring more resources won’t be a challenging task as it will just take more time and research.