COD Students Serve Prestigious Culinary Internship in France

College of DuPage culinary students (photo, left to right): Jesse Worthen, Brian Uribe, Edgar Posadas and Nora Roberts gained invaluable real-world experience spring semester while serving culinary internships in France, one of the most renowned culinary destinations in the world.

"This internship provided these students with an invaluable opportunity to immerse themselves in French food and culture, significantly expand their base of knowledge and gain crucial hands-on experience working alongside French chefs in top-notch restaurants in a country known for gastronomic excellence," said COD Professor of Culinary and Hospitality Management Chris Thielman. "They have returned with a fantastic addition to their resume and a new perspective on their educations and careers."

COD developed this new internship through partnerships with the Centre de Formation d'Apprentis du Roannais (CFA) and the Ecole des Trois Ponts, hosts of the College's French Country Cooking field studies tours since 2000. The students spent the first three weeks in France at the Ecole des Trois Ponts in Riorges where they brushed up on their knowledge of French language and culture and at the CFA, where they spent three days each week learning about French cooking, charcuterie, patisserie, butchering and viennoiserie. The next three weeks the students continued their culinary classes at the CFA and spent two days working alongside respected chefs in local restaurants. The students spent the final four weeks applying what they learned, working eight to 12 hours a day in their assigned restaurants.

According to Woodridge resident Posadas, his experience during the internship was one that will reach far beyond his time in France.

"The internship was really amazing," said Posadas. "We had incredible experiences there and it has already opened up doors in my career. Since returning to the U.S., I've gotten several callbacks from Michelin-starred restaurants."

Posadas, a native of Guatemala, plans to complete his Associate degree in Culinary Arts at COD this fall semester and hopes to continue taking classes at the College, potentially completing a second degree program. Describing cooking as his passion and the process of creating food as art, Posadas has been cooking professionally for nearly nine years and said his recent internship provided an enormous opportunity to learn from some of the best chefs in the world.

"It was a thrill and an honor to spend time with these great chefs, teachers and cooks," he said. "They are humble, passionate and proud about what they do and helped me learn to be the same way."

Posadas said the internship benefitted him both professionally and personally and that he enjoyed the challenge of keeping up with the students who are at a high skill level and proving himself.

"If you can handle the pressure and cook in France, you can cook anywhere in the world," he said.

Recent graduate Roberts said that she was delighted with the internship in France.

"This was a great experience and I learned a lot," she said. "The school was great and the chefs I worked with were very friendly and supportive."

Roberts said her experience in France exceeded her expectations.

"The chef I worked for was very generous," Roberts said. "He gave me opportunities to work in other kitchens aside from the restaurant I was assigned to, and I also spent time in a pastry shop which was just wonderful."

Born and raised in the Philippines, Roberts just completed her associate degree at COD in spring 2015, graduating at the same time as her youngest son, who will transfer to NIU to complete his bachelor's degree in Business this fall. While attending the College, Roberts was a resident of Glen Ellyn, but is currently relocating to Sycamore, Ill. Roberts said she hopes to work in a fine dining restaurant when she moves back to the Chicagoland area after a few years, and her long range plan is to return to the Philippines to open a restaurant after she and her husband retire. Supplied by fresh produce and livestock raised on a self-run farm, the restaurant will feature a menu comprising a fusion of Filipino and French cooking approaches, Roberts said. Her experience at COD will help with these future goals, she said.

"Everyone has been very helpful and supportive. Chef Thielman has been particularly great to learn from and work with," she said.

Addison resident Uribe said his experience during the internship was eye opening in many ways.

"In a gastronomic sense, France is the motherland," Uribe said. "It's where everything began and took an organized shape for us in the culinary field. It's a land that every cook dreams of, even if they don't realize it."

Uribe is currently pursuing an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and plans to complete his degree by the end of 2015. Following graduation, he hopes to start working in Chicago to gain experience and work toward his long-term career goals. More than anything, Uribe said, the internship in France broadened his knowledge and appreciation of fine foods and products in all aspects and served to force him to work outside of his comfort zone, making him a better cook and taking him further along the path to his goal of being a great chef.

"I was able to experience a culture that revolves around good food and the art of enjoying it. The French appreciation of food isn't limited to simply a gustatory experience, it influences their daily life and even shapes policy in that nation," Uribe said.

Worthen, currently a resident of Glen Ellyn, said he was thankful for the experience in France and was surprised at the opportunities it provided.

"Experiences like this get you out of your comfort zone and allow you to accomplish much more than you normally would," he said. "The teachers were great and I was amazed by the opportunities this internship provided."

Worthen said he made many friends during his time in France and spent his free time with his coworkers "hanging out, playing guitar and cooking all day."

"I learned so much both inside and outside of the classroom and the job," he said. "For example, friends would show me great techniques such as 10 different ways to cook tomatoes to bring out different flavors."

After graduating from high school in his hometown of Helena, Montana, Worthen was unsure of which career to pursue. Soon after, he came to stay with family in Glen Ellyn where he was determined to investigate possible educational and career paths. With the idea of a career in culinary arts in the back of his mind, he visited many schools in the area and chose the Culinary program at COD because of the professionalism of the instructors and the state-of-the-art facilities in the new Culinary & Hospitality Center. He said he is pleased with his choice, enjoying the friendly and supportive atmosphere as well as the many opportunities for hands-on experience provided by the College. Planning to complete his Associate degree in Culinary Arts at COD in spring 2016, Worthen hopes to return to France to take advantage of opportunities that grew out of his service during the internship, including offers to cook in France and Italy and to apprentice under a Master Poissonnier (Fish Chef).

"It's flattering to have been offered work and apprenticeship opportunities through this experience," he said. "It's really special for an American to be offered the chance to work and study as a chef in France."

Click here for more information about the Culinary Arts program at College of DuPage.