Yesterday was a long, long day. It was great but very long. We had an excellent demonstration from Chef Gaetano Trovato from Arnolfo restaurant in Siena. The dishes were amazing and the chef had a great philosophy on cooking and cuisine, but let me tell you why it was a long day!
By Lauren Fuschillo, ICC Italian Culinary Arts student.
Yesterday we were all awaiting big news. Do you know that feeling when you鈥檙e about to hear important information? Or that feeling when your heart is beating a fafillion (that鈥檚 a made up number but think 鈥渉uge鈥) times a minute and your stomach feels like it鈥檚 on a roller coaster? Imagine feeling like that ALL.DAY.LONG.
We were waiting for our stage assignments to be announced.
The demonstration came to a conclusion at 5PM. So, for an hour I paced back and forth through the courtyard, along with my classmates who were chain smoking, nervously biting their nails and, naturally, drinking espresso which didn鈥檛 help our anxiousness. I even called my mom!
Maybe it鈥檚 silly we were so nervous but it鈥檚 a pretty big deal. We were waiting to find out where we鈥檒l be moving in two weeks, who we鈥檒l work under for 2-5 months and at what restaurant. That鈥檚 kind of a big deal because it鈥檚 a major life change 鈥 especially because we鈥檒l be parting ways and going out on our own, out of the classroom.
Not only was I nervous to find out where I was being assigned but I was a little sad to be leaving my friends. The day before, I was sitting with my classmates on our way to the American Chef鈥檚 Rally at the Expo. I looked over at Schaffer bopping his head to his music; Viscaino talking with Michael; Andrea was all snuggled up under a blanket, and Jason and I were chatting about how crazy it is that we鈥檙e going to be leaving in just two weeks.
I鈥檓 going to miss Andrea saying it鈥檚 too cold and having to turn down the AC even though I鈥檓 sweating profusely. I鈥檓 going to miss my cigarette breaks with Marianne, where we talk about everything under the sun. I hate being touched, but believe it or not, I鈥檓 going to miss Benito giving me a hug and a kiss every morning. I will really miss that! I鈥檓 going to miss Giuseppe. I鈥檝e gotten so used to spending almost 24 hours a day with him for the last few months. I鈥檓 going to miss my chats with Michael. I鈥檓 going to miss everything about Sara: her humor, her smile, her voice, even her complaints, but most of all 鈥 her good heart. I鈥檓 going to miss my rocks鈥ason, my older brother and my little brother, Mikey.
I鈥檓 going to miss all these people along with the friends I鈥檝e made upon reaching ALMA. Thank you Rachelle, Karny, Ian, Kai, my darlings Chaitanya and Andres, my little sister; Caroline, Vlad, Tatiana, Ceren, Nacho, Dianaa, Monica, Adriana and all of our amazing teachers, especially Michele Crippa! I鈥檓 going to miss all of you and I am so grateful for our time together. You鈥檝e taught me so much and you鈥檙e all so inspiring. Thank you. I adore you.
However, goodbyes must happen because we have greater things in store for us. Our future starts now and we鈥檙e about to embark on the last part of this educational journey鈥 our stages. Even though we鈥檒l all be separated, we will all share this special bond forever.
Finally, at 6PM I saw Chef Giovanni Ciresa making his way over to the auditorium. We all ran back inside and found our seats. We were sweating (not Andrea), we were breathing heavily but we were excited! It felt like we were in high school and waiting to find out our SAT scores all over again.
They announced each assignment one by one, accompanying the announcement with a photo and map of where each student will be.
We went in alphabetical order, so I was fifth to hear the news. My stomach was rumbling and my hands were shaking, and then it all stopped. 鈥淟auren Fuschillo will be going to Cagliari, Sardegna to work with Chef Stefano Deidda at Dal Corsaro Restaurant.鈥 AHHHHHHHHHHHH! I wanted to jump up and scream. This is the location I wanted to be in and the restaurant I was hoping I鈥檇 work in. I am not just relieved, I am elated.
A huge thank you to Chef Giovanni Cerasa, Chef Bruno Ruffini, Chef Guido Magnaguagno and all of the teachers and administrators at both ALMA and ICC for my stage assignment. I couldn鈥檛 be more grateful and I am so excited for the next leg of this amazing journey!
Read about travel abroad with ICE.
This blog post was originally published by the International Culinary Center (ICC), founded as The French Culinary Institute (FCI). In 2020, ICE and ICC came together on one strong and dynamic national platform at ICE's campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. Explore your culinary education where the legacy lives on.
