Terry Lindsay
I've been interested in cooking for a long time. Due to a lay-off I had the opportunity to follow my dream. I looked into several culinary schools but wasn't happy with what I found.
As soon as I walked into the Bistro at Lake Washington Technical College (LWTC) I was warmly greeted and offered refreshment while I waited to speak with Chef Joynson. He gave me a guided tour, helped me select classes, and introduced me to students and instructors. Everyone enjoyed what they were doing and I was excited to begin.
I chose Culinary Arts, then switched to Baking Arts, where my true passion lies. I ended up getting a degree in both fields.
Baking Arts Instructor, Janet Shaffer, served as my inspiration, my biggest supporter, and my mentor. She's so knowledgeable at what she teaches and always looks for new things to teach her students. She taught me about sugar work, cakes, pastries, catering, and production. She encourages her students to better themselves and to find new ways of creativity.
As a result of Janet's steadfast support, I won a bronze medal in an American Culinary Federation (ACF) hot foods competition and several first and second place ribbons at International Cake Exploration Societe (ICES) cake competitions. I was also awarded Magna Cum Laude and member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.
Following graduation, I was hired by LWTC's Culinary Department as a Technical Aide and also served as Catering Coordinator for the department. During the next six months, I moved to Chicago to attend The French Pastry School. I'm just about to graduate and am looking for a job as a pastry chef in Las Vegas or San Francisco. I plan to work in the industry for five years, then return home to open my own Bakery Café.
My dreams are materializing with big thanks to the encouragement of LWTC's Culinary staff: Alan Joynson, Janet Shaffer, David Coan, and John Dew!
