The sting of realizing I've just accomplished something major takes over. My skin prickles all over, followed by a rush of heat, flushing through my body like a lava flow. This has been a dream of mine for five years and in a split second, it has come true. Through the flood of emotions racing through my head, one thought floats to the surface: What am I going to wear? Here I am, poised to leap off a cliff into a new experience and my subconscious wonders what to pack. Scary, but true.

“We are very pleased to inform you that your application to (school name here) has been accepted by the Admission Jury.” Yes, I did have to sign something that said I wouldn’t use the school name.

After a few moments sitting in stunned silence, the chaos in my head subsides and rational thoughts start to appear. I’m going to be a culinary student in Paris – the city of love and the city of light. I’ve been accepted by one of the most prestigious culinary institutions in the world. Since I can’t use the school name, I’m sure my dear reader that you can figure out where I’m going.

Springtime in Paris. In less than six months, I’ll be boarding a plane, loaded with a few precious possessions. This will be my sixth trip to Paris, but never did I think I’d be a resident. I can just picture myself sitting at a small corner café, sipping my tea and nibbling on a croissant while thoughts on my experience flow through my pen and onto the paper. I look up from time to time to watch the Parisians going about their business – shopping for the evening meal, greeting each other long enough to ask about their mother’s health, or spending a few moments perusing the morning newspaper. For nine months, this will be my world. In addition to spending numerous hours in the kitchen, trying to remember how to convert US measurements to European measurements.

I have a love affair with food – a passion that goes beyond lifting a fork to my lips. It is all about the experience that food creates, both for me and those I share it with. When I cook, I can be creative, adventurous, passionate and even playful. After a full day at my job for an international software company, I look forward to coming home to cook. It is how I relax, unwind, and stimulate a different part of my mind.

Transforming the act of eating into an exceptional experience is a unique challenge. It requires quality ingredients, masterful preparation, and creative presentation, as well as an emphasis on the setting, the company and the opportunity to saver the moment. I’ve learned from the French that the food experience cannot simply be an afterthought pushed between other activities. It should be a priority in and of itself; a culinary adventure that awakens the senses, stimulates conversation, and ignites creativity. When I cook for my family and friends, that is the experience I try to create – not just a taste, but an emotion, and a sense of unity.

My dream is to blend my passion for food with masterful technique and business marketing acumen to create exceptional experiences. By enrolling in culinary school, I am taking the first step toward realizing that dream. With 12 years of business marketing and communications experience, I have a strategic understanding of individual drivers needed for success. This is an opportunity to leverage my strengths in self-motivation, dedication and time management. Once I made the decision to go to school, I knew I needed classical training and practical application experience. Although I can prepare a beautiful four course meal, I have never mastered the basics: knife skills, cooking methods, sauce preparation, et cetera. These techniques are the basis for mastering the intricacies of cooking. Once I have this foundation, then imagination can be my guide. I can devise my own recipes, rather than relying on someone else’s creation.

I did it. My dream is coming true.

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