Larry Leon Irons Culinary Memorial Scholarship

I want to be an actress. This is what I used to tell myself. I dreamed of being an actress all my life because I knew that what I wanted most in the world was to make people feel something when they see my work, feelings that can’t be expressed by words. I wanted to see people smile because they enjoyed what I did and how I did it. Throughout my years of cooking for holiday dinners with my dad, and baking cookies with my grandma, I saw the reactions people had for the food I helped create. In turn, I started to have a strong desire to see these reactions from people. Once I started to prepare my own food from scratch, I started to see these reactions more and more and it fueled my desire for cooking. That’s when it hit me, food is love. Food is every person's first comfort and I knew that I wanted to be that person to give them that sense of love and comfort. Through mutual people, I met a woman, 20 years old, who’s the greatest cook in the world. Though she never went to culinary school, she works at a restaurant called Primo in Maine. Seeing her accomplish all her dreams because of how hard she works and her passion for cooking is beyond my compression. She is so incredibly talented and she inspires me day after day to follow my dreams of becoming a chef just like her. Everytime I bake a new treat, I want her opinion. My passion for cooking and baking not only comes from my desire to make people feel something, but it also comes from the inspiration that I get from my friend, Olivia. While the connection between being an actress and being a chef are similar in the way people react to your work and the reactions that you get, the feeling is different. I’ve had experience in the world of acting and on the surface, it’s what dreams are made of, but when you look deeper into the industry, you see all its flaws and you know deep down that it’s not something you want to be consumed by. Cooking, however, is the true symbol of happiness. Baking is the true symbol of love and there’s no deep dive into the world of culinary arts that can change the meaning of it. So, while the connections between being an actress and being a chef are similar, the feeling is much different and I know deep down that only one of these careers can help me hold onto the feeling of the good and warmth of the world. I want to be a chef.

The Culinary field itself has always been a passion for me. Since childhood, I have always had an interest in working in the kitchen, whether it be baking some cookies or trying out a new recipe. I decided that I wanted to pursue the culinary field during my freshman year of highschool. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to mainly focus on Commercial Baking and confections. My goal in life is to be a pastry chef in a high-end hotel or catering company. I want to be able to create complex and flavorful desserts that can be enjoyed by many. I want to make dining a complete experience for people rather than just a way to get energy. I believe that with the proper education I will be able to accomplish my dreams and excel in the culinary field. During my high school years, I have been taking a culinary arts program through my local technical education center. These classes served as an introduction to the culinary industry and taught me the basics in culinary arts, pastry arts, and hospitality and management. They have also served to give me career field experience. After I graduate, I plan to attend the Culinary Institute of Michigan. As of right now, I have been to the C.I.M. multiple times for competitions and summer camps. I competed in the 2022 SkillsUSA-Commercial Baking competition where I placed 6th at regionals and 9th at states, I also competed in an American Culinary Association competition for Commercial Baking where I placed 2nd. With the culinary experience that I currently possess, I am able to contribute and give back to my community. I volunteer to help with food services at charity events at my local country club and I bake confections and goods for bake sales and fundraisers at my local nature center. Whenever my church hosts an Advent tea for women in the community, I make sure to help out in setting up and tearing down. I complete 20 hours of community service yearly through the National Honor Society at my School. I also complete 170 service hours with my Girl Scout Troop as a part of the Governor's Honor Guard on Mackinac Island each summer. I am currently working to earn my Girl Scout Gold award by creating a children’s cookbook for kids in my community. I hope that with a professional education I will continue to be able to help my community in whatever ways necessary and that I will be able to positively impact others through my passion.