“Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You are off to great places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the person who will decide where to go.”

Dr. Seuss, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go.”

I have written nearly 150 columns for CAFÉ’s Gold Medal Classroom. During that time, I have written two graduation speeches, the first was May of 2014 and the second was in the middle of the COVID closures in May of 2020. I am pleased to offer this third, upbeat speech.

Remember, a teacher is tasked with more than teaching standards and competencies but also motivating and inspiring students to be the best they can be in all aspects of their lives.

A side note; this article sketches ideas you can share with your students as they complete your course, high school diploma or community college program. Also, I wrote this for students who are starting a hospitality career. It can be modified for students going on to college or entering the workforce. Remember, the skills learned in any culinary program such as planning and preparation, working in groups, etc. apply to almost all aspects of family, college, and work life.

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Congratulations. You have completed your class and will graduate from both the culinary program and school as well. When you walked into this classroom, most of you didn’t have a clue about the difference between braising and bearnaise, sauteing and soup, poaching and pears. And, making a cookie would have been tricky for some of you!

You have shown excellent kitchen competencies. You learned how to do everything from correctly washing your hands to properly cleaning the kitchen. Oh yes, and of course you learned all the culinary skills that come in between. In this class, you baked cookies, made salads and dressings, and learned how to season and taste. Perhaps what is more important is you mastered how to work in a kitchen. You learned safety and sanitation skills like those used in commercial kitchens around the world. You learned how to clean as you go and to say, ‘Yes, Chef.” You now know how to handle mistakes by admitting it, not blaming others, and doing it again.

Most importantly, you learned and practiced over and over again how to work with people. You discovered it wasn’t important whether you like someone on your team or not - preparing the food correctly and on time was most important. This is the most pivotal lesson you learned.

If you work in the culinary world or medical field, high-tech computing or auto repair, farming or retail, you will have people you work with you really like and many you don’t like at all. Yet you will have to get the job done right and on time each time with everyone. The guests will not care if the prep and grill cooks are best friends or they hate each other. They want their chicken parmigiana to look good, taste great and for it to arrive simultaneously with other entrees.

Now that you are graduating, you will have an opportunity to get a job in a commercial kitchen. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help. I am more than happy to help, either now or in the future.

May I suggest something? If possible, can you take a moment to do a little traveling before your job? Have you considered working in another area of the country? Or, maybe even in another country? Cooks and chefs have traveled for centuries learning about other cuisines and working in different areas to master new skills and techniques. How many shows on television, cable, or streaming services feature traveling chefs?

You might think food is the same, from coast to coast. But there are big differences from region to region and country to country.

Think about barbecues from Saint Louis, Kansas City, Texas, and the Carolinas and how different they are from each other in terms of proteins and sauces. Hawaiian barbecue is different than all of those. And, in New Orleans barbecue shrimp is cooked in a sauté pan or on a baking sheet in a kitchen!

Did you know fresh lobster in San Diego is very different from fresh lobster in Maine? Not only is it cooked differently, but it’s a different type of lobster. A tuna sandwich in Honolulu will likely be sliced raw or lightly seared ahi, but in Michigan tuna sandwiches will be a tuna salad starting with canned or packaged tuna and mayonnaise.

You know New England clam chowder is creamy and Manhattan clam chowder is tomato-based. But do you know that Rhode Island Clam Chowder is broth-based?

What about pizza? There are so many variations like New York, Chicago, Detroit, and who knows how many others. In California, Indian-style pizzas featuring curry and Indian seasonings are trending. Can you imagine Italian pizza? Do they have pizza in Eastern Europe and if so how is it different?

How are mussels from Canada’s Prince Edward Island different from mussels harvested and prepared in New Zealand?

What are the differences in street food from Hungary, China, Korea, or Mexico? Is street food even the same in different areas of these countries?  How could you find out other than online searching? Is Japanese Ramen the same as Hawaiian Saimin? 

There is a shortage of culinary workers in our country and many other places in the world right now. Can you take advantage of that and get a position for a year or so someplace you always dreamed of going?

You are at a turning point in your life. Take advantage of it. If possible - travel. See different places, meet different people, and for the culinary artist inside you, eat different things. Try working in a different part of the state. Try working in other areas of the country. If you can possibly work outside the country, then do just that. And, if you can’t work out of our area, do your best to travel. Just travel and those experiences will be with you for the rest of your life.

Congratulations! And, as Dr. Seuss wrote, Remember the Places You’ll Go:

“Congratulations!
Today is your Day.
You are off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the person who will decide where to go.”

Adam Weiner, JD, CFSE, has been a culinary instructor in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than 17 years.