Blog 14: Interview 3 Preparation

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  What is this person's area of expertise?

I am still on the lookout for a prospective interviewee, as I interviewed my mentor for the first two interviews.

2.  Verify that you have called your interviewee to schedule an interview.  What is the date and time of the interview?

See response to #1 above.

3.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you find research resources that would help to answer the EQ.

In your experience working in Culinary Arts, are there any resources that bolstered you in the real-world environment of working in a restaurant?

4.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you think about other useful activities you might do to help you answer the EQ (IC2, possible experts to talk to, etc).

What do you suggest I do, practice, or research in order to grow in my learning experience of Culinary Arts?

5.  Phrase two open-ended questions that help you to understand your interviewee's perspective on an aspect of your EQ.

What do you think makes a great restaurant?

How do you make a customer's dining experience a memorable one? 

Blog 10 - Interview 2 Reflection

1. Please explain how you are spending your mentorship time (Is it at a workplace or somewhere else?  Are you shadowing?  Are you able to do tasks that are meaningfully related to the topic?  If so, what?  Are there other people who are experts in the location?  Etc...)

My mentorship takes place at my mentor’s residence, during this time I am able to shadow and then I get my chance to try out whatever is being taught at the moment. I usually get to do the prep and cooking process just as my mentor does.

2.  How did you find your mentor?  How did you convince this person to help you?  

My mentor is a close friend and almost like family to me, so acquiring him as my mentor was a quick and comfortable process, as he works night shifts there’s a good portion of the day that I can work with him.

3. How would you rate your comfort level with your mentor at this point in your relationship?  How does this relate to the time you've spent so far at mentorship/with this person?

The comfort level with my mentor is quite decent, it isn’t difficult to ask him anything. The only issue is that we’re both somewhat quiet people, but it hasn’t been a hindrance. Because of this, time at my mentorship was not pressuring but enjoyable.

4. What went well in this interview?  Why do you think so?  What do you still need to improve?  How do you know?  How will you go about it?

I think the interview went well, as the conversation became smooth and thorough, I was also able to follow-up with many questions even if I only prepared a few. Due to the comfortability with my mentor, it wasn’t very difficult to converse with him, so specifically with my mentor, I can’t think of much to improve.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BywLkIe5u8MDODYzaDdjYkpWaU0/view?usp=sharing

Blog 7 - Second Interview Preparation

The Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, where my mentor attended.  

1.  Who is your mentor and where do they work?  If their workplace does not reflect their expertise, what makes them an expert?

My mentor is Edward  Forte, works at CTI Foods which is a food manufacturing/processing company. My mentor also does work as an independent caterer, catering for private parties/venues or small orders, his most popular items are usually pastries and desserts such as cheesecakes. I should also mention that my mentor worked in the restaurant business for a few years prior to his current employment and is working toward starting his own restaurant.

2.  What five questions will you ask them about their background?

In my first interview, I had already interviewed my mentor, I had asked him some experiential questions and some on his career. However, I feel there is much more to learn and I think this can still be a very fruitful interview.

1. Were there any difficulties or obstacles you faced on your journey as a chef? What were they and how have they prepared you or affected you?
2. What are some goals that you set out through your journey as a chef?
3. Through some of my research, many writers have claimed that going through a Culinary Arts education isn’t the best way to start off a career as a chef. What are your thoughts on that perspective? How worthwhile do you feel your education was toward where you are today?
4. What was the most helpful, insightful, or inspirational lesson you learned while in Culinary Arts school?
5. What was it like to work in the restaurant business? What was the common agenda or procedure that went on through a day at the restaurant?

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