Blog 13: 10 Hour Mentorship Check-In

One of the fruits of my learning experience

1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?

I am doing my mentorship at my mentor’s residence.

2.   Who is your contact?  What makes this person an expert?

My mentor is Edward Forte, he is a part-time catering chef in which he runs his own business. He has been catering for about 5-6 years now and in between he has worked at a fine dining restaurant as well as in commercial food manufacturing. I consider him an expert given that I have seen his work first-hand. As he is practically family, I have been able to experience his work through his hosting of various fine dining dinners and parties. I have also worked as an assistant from time to time over the years. So my mentorship is not the first time that I’ve worked and assisted him.

3.   How many hours have you done during the school year? (Summer Mentorship Hours and Mentorship Hours should be reflected separately in your Senior Project Hours log located on the right hand side of your blog).

As of January 5th, I have completed a total of 15 hours during the school year.

4.   Succinctly summarize what you did, how well you and your mentor worked together, and how you plan to complete the remaining hours.

My first three entries for mentorship hours consisted of dabbling into different kinds of cuisine. One occasion, the essentials of making Filipino-style barbecue and in another occasion I experienced making 4 or 5 different pies and cheesecakes. On my most recent mentorship visit, I worked with my mentor as he hosted a dinner party. My mentor and I work very well together, I am usually able to pick up different processes quickly and I have been able to apply what he has taught independently. Usually my mentor will communicate with me if he is doing anything with catering and that is when I usually visit, many of my hours will be carried out in this manner. Another source of hours is when he hosts dinners or parties, in fact, my mentor has a party lined up that I will be assisting in.

Blog 2 - Summer Mentorship

Plates of Eggs Benedict waiting for further preparation

1. List the contact name, phone number, and organization of the person with whom you volunteered.

Edward Forte

(951) 201-3541

Independent Caterer

2. What qualified this person as an expert in your topic choice?

     

My mentor graduated from the culinary arts college Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena and has been passionately working in his field for 5-6 years now. Today, he cooks for business and for leisure, he started his catering business from simple means and is continually growing; occasionally he plans and invited family and friends to themed gourmet meals, each is a new experience. A few traits that stood out about my mentor are his attention to detail, diligence, and desire to experiment and innovate. Seeing these traits present helps me immerse myself in the learning experience. 

3. List three questions for further exploration now that you've completed your summer hours.

• What are important traits needed in a chef?
• What are important processes and methods to practice toward becoming an exemplary chef?
• What are important parameters and factors to look at when experimenting different styles and dishes?

    

4. What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

The most important thing I have gained in this mentorship experience is the necessity of precision. In many occasions I have seen that we tend to overlook some details, especially in time constraints. However with a simple wrong measurement, setting, or timing the whole sensual experience of a certain dish can be ruined. Constant precision and detail help create a consistent and impeccable dining experience. 

5. What is your senior project topic going to be?  How did mentorship help you make your decision?  Please explain.

My senior project topic is going to be culinary arts. My mentorship has helped me see the many skills and traits that I want to acquire and has helped me appreciate the hard work that goes into the delicious food we eat. Through observing my mentor's work over the years I have truly seen the beauty in the art and satisfaction that it provides. In conclusion, this mentorship has cemented my desire to learn the art of cooking. 

The completed product and it was delicious