Are there other CMBs who influenced or inspired you on your certification journey?
This could easily be a very long list, but what got me started on the path to certification was during my freshman year at the Culinary Institute of America when five chefs passed their CMB: Chefs Berlioz, Egan, McCarrick, Meli, and Teixeira. I was able to observe their exam, and since I was also training for SkillsUSA and Chef Berlioz was my mentor, there were many Saturdays when we practiced alongside each other. It has been fun seeing all of those chefs throughout my journey: Chef Teixeira was one of the judges for my SkillsUSA competition and then again at my practical exam, along with Egan and McCarrick, who were both at my Certified Baker practical and proctored my re-take. Chef Meli was particularly inspiring because she was the youngest CMB at the time, and the realization that I could achieve the same goal before I turned 30 was very motivating. I could keep going, as the genuine support from everyone has been unwavering over the years.