Featured Student

Sara Welch

Sara will graduate with her Associate Degree in Culinary Management in Summer Term 2007. She recently won two recipe contests, the prize for one being a trip to France.

Sara Welch didn’t start her college career with an eye on the culinary field; she had planned to be a music teacher. Growing up in Las Vegas, Sara sang and played piano throughout school. But in her junior year at University of Nevada Las Vegas while studying elementary music education, Sara developed a hearing problem. “When I couldn’t hear, I couldn’t sing; when I couldn’t sing, I confused the kids when I tried to teach them a tune,” she says. Devastated, she dropped out of school completely.

After several years working as an administrative assistant, the company she was working for offered to transfer her to Miami, Orlando or Jacksonville. “Though I had never seen Jacksonville, it just sounded better than the other options, so I moved here sight unseen,” she says.

Sara decided to go back to college, and chose FCCJ’s Culinary Institute of the South for its emphasis not only on culinary fundamentals, but on the management, marketing and business side of the food industry as well. “The best thing about FCCJ is our chef-instructors,” she says. “Each instructor brings years of experience, passion, seemingly endless patience and a great sense of humor. We (students) count ourselves privileged to have studied under them.”

Sara’s enthusiasm for the program is evidenced by her accomplishments. She was recently profiled in the Florida Times-Union for winning a contest sponsored by The Office of Champagne USA. Sara won the main dish category with her recipe “Roasted Lamb with Port-Cherry Sauce paired with Vintage Rosé.” Her entry into the dessert category, Lavender-Lime Soufflés, came in third. The prize was a trip to the Champagne region of France this February, where Welch and her husband toured wineries to learn about the region’s soil, climate and what makes Champagne unique. And in January she won a $1,000 scholarship for her recipe “Tuna and Black Bean Salad Wraps,” entered in the Steel Institute’s “Inspiration in a Can” contest.

Sara will graduate with her Associate Degree in Culinary Management this summer, after completing an internship with the Ponte Vedra Patisserie. She plans to eventually become certified by the American Culinary Federation as a Pastry Chef. Beyond that? “My own restaurant or bakery may lie in the distant future; I need to collect some years of experience before taking that step.” In the meantime, Sara plans to continue writing recipes and entering contests, just for fun. “This contest winning thing is quite addictive!” she says.

Read about our other featured culinary students.