“I came in with absolutely no skills, and they taught me,” says Jeremy, reflecting on how far he’s come on his career journey. “And now I’m doing everything I wanted to do in the kitchen.”
A health crisis and his mom’s death sent Jeremy into a tailspin. He lost his job and tried working odd jobs to provide for his growing family. He and his wife were expecting another child. It was time to try a new path forward.
“Things were not going the way we planned, as they never do,” says Jeremy.
He set out to find a new job and career training. He learned about Second Harvest’s free Culinary Training Program and immediately thought there must be a catch. He realized committing to the program and investing in his future would be difficult, but the sacrifice was worth it.
Every day for 16 weeks, Jeremy dropped his kids off at the bus stop and then came to class himself. He learned from award-winning chef instructors who taught lessons in food safety, knife skills, professional techniques and multiplying recipes. The chefs pushed Jeremy to work hard, encouraged him to overcome challenges and supported him, ultimately building his confidence.
“Anything worth working for is not easy,” says Jeremy. “If I could go through [the program] again, I would.”
After graduation, Jeremy began working at Hilton Orlando, where he was an integral part of the banquets team, serving meals for meetings, conventions and special events. Since then, he has worked at the poolside grill and now as a line cook in the hotel sports bar. He aims to learn all the different cuisines and concepts at the hotel before finding a management or sous chef role.
“It’s not a job; it’s a career,” says Jeremy, thankful to have found meaningful work he is passionate about and an employer investing in his professional future.
“I want to continue to work hard, be humble, and be a provider for my family,” says Jeremy, thinking about the career path he’s on now. “I know the sky is the limit.”
