The idea of getting a formal culinary education seems to be in my mind for quite a long time.
After taking a few courses for general interest at the George Brown College in Toronto, I understood that cooking is not only hard work, but also a great reward. When you see your friends enjoying the meal you cooked for them is really rewarding.
Last year in October, I visited a few culinary schools around San Francisco in California to get an idea what they are offering. Only the Culinary Institute of America at St. Helena in Napa did impress me. That was the place I wanted to go. However due to some reasons (mainly because it's 70 miles away from San Francisco) it was considered too complicated to go there. Other schools did not impressed me, so the idea of going to a culinary school was put away.
This year for our tenth anniversary my partner made me a wonderful gift. I was offered to to to the Culinary Institute of America to study (remember this complicated option?) and I gladly accepted it.
I can't say that it was very simple decision. I had a great job at the Royal Bank of Canada and I enjoyed it very much. But, I was thinking about culinary and I did not want to have a question for the rest of my life 'what if...'. Also I found it extremely difficult to be separated.
In the middle of December I moved to San Francisco with a cat (it was another story about the cat, as he hates travel). Now we are happy family all together here in California.
The school starts on January 3rd and I am looking forward to going to St. Helena.
