My mom and dad call it a pan or a plate, but I call it my canvas and paintbrush. I wanted to be a chef at a very young age, so much that when I began cooking, I couldn’t even reach the countertop to mix or bake my treats. This was because I was “Little Logan”, adventurous, tenacious, and wasn’t going to let anything get in my way. Little me began to work on videos for the internet, showing what I could do, even pursuing another passion I had, acting: commercials, plays, broadcast journalism. I was doing this for a while, but I didn’t feel the pursuit or drive that I had when I was cooking. As years went on, I began to want more than just what came from the kitchen at my home. I wanted to learn more and explore the world of culinary. I was approached by many friends to join this school called Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA), to pursue a love of acting, but I noticed they had a conservatory for Culinary Arts. As a backup, I applied for Culinary as well as Acting. When I was accepted to the Culinary Arts conservatory, some people were concerned really wanted Acting, but they didn’t know I liked the kitchen, I loved the rush, the energy, the burns I would get from being in the kitchen. I loved the fire in the kitchen, figuratively and literally. The kitchen was a place that I wanted to stay in. Orange County School of the Arts has brought opportunities to bloom my passion by going to events and performances, like Max Love. Max Love is a fundraiser and charity event for children affected by childhood cancer. I had the opportunity to take on chefs’ dishes and present them to the public for the past 3 years. Following, I had the opportunity to take on big projects like Night Market, and help plan dishes that would be eaten by 1,000’s of people. In order to make sure I’m sparking my passion not just in school, but outside of school hours, I take on great things like California Restaurant Foundation's annual Culinary Clash, where students work with a mentor to create not just a dish, but the best use of food cost, best presentation, best cocktail, and best dish. I was able to win best cocktail and best in sanitation. For you to be able to have the best sanitation, or have a passion for culinary arts, you have to learn it, or get to know what each item, or plate, you make comes from. In the future, I hope to give back to the community by opening a restaurant and using my culinary paint brush and canvas to connect with the community and future generations with exciting food and healthy eating habits. Or use my love for cooking, along with my experience acting, to go on TV, to cook, and inspire. To some, a plate is something that holds what goes in your stomach. For some, the pots, pans, and oven are just tools, but to me, these two things tell a story that generations have crafted. Food was once something we enjoyed to express our cultures. The pan and plate to me means a telling of the past and a glimpse into the future. I hope one day to be a great “storyteller”, a great “painter”, and a true culinary artist.