Pairing Electives

My initial plan when I started at Sullivan University was to obtain my Culinary Arts degree.  As my education continued, I found myself in a situation where I only had my culinary labs left to finish but no lecture classes to fulfill the rest of my Financial Aid course requirement.  After discussing my options with the Admissions Team at Sullivan, I decided to throw myself into the Bachelor's Degree Program, as well.  Now, as a Culinary Arts graduate working towards my Hospitality Management degree, I have taken many classes that are catered to management of a business but not specifically in the hospitality industry.  Therefore, I have been encouraged to find the connection between what I am studying and how it could help me in my desired field of being an Executive Chef.

This quarter, I am taking an Anatomy and Physiology course as a General Elective required for my Bachelor's degree.  One short assignment I completed for this class shows an example of a connection I was able to make.  Our instructions for the assignment were to discuss which bone in the human body was our "favorite," and why.  The following insert was my response:

It is a somewhat difficult decision to choose ONE bone of the 206 in the human body

as my favorite. I'd honestly have to choose a structure of bones because it's the

function of many bones together that achieves my "favorite" task.  My favorites would

be the bones in the wrist and hands, the carpal bones, metacarpals, and phalanges.

In my line of work as a chef, my hands are my tools. I am able to touch, grasp,

and maneuver my utensils, tools, and, most importantly, the food I am working with.

My favorite area in a kitchen, my "comfort zone," is the saute station.  My hands,

wrists, and general arm muscles are the most valuable tools on a saute range.

Holding tongs and spatulas to agitate the product, motioning your wrists to flip

ingredients together in a pan, and gently placing food on a plate to form a beautiful

presentations form the basis of any saute station. Without the incredible function,

purpose, and control of my wrist and hand bones, I would not be as skillful or as

passionate about food.  My hands and wrists allow me to be in touch with my food,

to almost form a relationship with it that transitions out into the art of presentation. 

It is always exciting to learn new things about your desired profession and to make connections between things you previously knew.  Sullivan University is a great institution and outlet for these realizations.  This story is just one of many similar experiences I have had during my time at Sullivan.

Hayley Charron