For Tri-Cities resident Edgar Gómez Hernandez, cooking started as a necessity, grew into a hobby and has now blossomed into a career path. Gómez is currently working toward an associate degree in Culinary Arts at Walla Walla Community College’s Wine County Culinary Institute, gaining hands-on cooking experience, learning about the food industry’s agricultural roots, and making ambitious plans for the future.
We asked the 19-year-old college student a few questions about what it’s been like to study the culinary arts.
How did your interest in cooking begin?
My interest in the cooking industry started later in high school, around my junior year, mainly influenced by my father, who works as a line chef at Andy’s North. I was taking care of my little brother since he and my mom were always working, and I just grew fond of being able to mix a bunch of things together and make something up. I started liking it, and I looked for more ways to be able to learn more from it, which led me to going into more techniques and cooking methods. And then it branched off into saying, “Oh, I could maybe get a career out of this, kind of like my father is doing right now too.”
What would you like to do with your degree?
I’m hoping to come back to Tri-Cities and open up my own business with my father, something that he also had a small dream to accomplish one day. We have a few ideas brewing. Nothing you haven’t seen in Tri-Cities, but just a little Mexican restaurant maybe, a few American dishes thrown in there as well.
What led you to WWCC?
I chose Walla Walla Community College because it was top-ranked for what I was looking for in the area. I knew I had Seattle and Spokane to choose from as well, but people I’ve known, friends and family, and also friends from my father’s work, suggested WWCC to be the best of the best.
What’s been your favorite part of the program so far?
My favorite part is the diversity of how many people there are. Also, being able to go into the program and do something new throughout the day. It’s not always the same thing each week going into the classroom.
Did anything surprise you?
At first I figured it would be tied to strict schedules. But it surprised me how relaxed and how easy it is to adapt to a new schedule week in, week out, so that you’re not only a student, but you also have a social life or anything that you want to do outside of the college.
What kinds of skills have you gained?
Mainly organization, time management and proper communication. It’s really grown, strengthened in my person, at least in what I see. It’s something I feel is a necessity, especially in this industry, to have at least those three things: being able to have everything organized, knowing what you need to do and just being able to work with others.
How has WWCC’s Farm to Fork program impacted your education?
It’s really opened my eyes to see how many farmers or ranchers or producers are involved in the industry and how big it is. Being able to locally source is something that can always be taken into consideration — and being able to know that you’re helping and supporting somebody else who, in turn, is also supporting you with your own business.
What’s your advice for students who are thinking about studying culinary arts?
It’s not something you want to do “just because.” You have to have some ambition toward it because it is a demanding job. You’re on your feet for long periods of time, and sometimes you get overwhelmed with certain things. So, you have to have an ambition and want to learn something new and open your mind to not only doing a things one way but multiple ways.
WWCC’s Wine Country Culinary Institute is enrolling students now for Fall Quarter. If you’d like to learn more, you can reach out to Director of Culinary Arts Jacob Crenshaw at 509.524.5164 or [email protected], visit wwcc.edu, or schedule a tour.