After deciding to pursue a long-term interest in the
restaurant industry, Sonya Franceschini was quickly drawn
to the Italian Culinary Arts Program at GBC, the only one of its kind
in Canada.
The reputation of the George Brown Chef School appealed
to her, as did the four-month externship in Italy that
comprises the second half of the program.
From the outset, Sonya knew
she wanted to be specifically
involved with Italian cuisine.
"My background is Italian; I was raised around the culture
and food, and have travelled extensively through Italy,
so it was always my main interest," she explains. After being accepted
into the program and starting school, Sonya was struck
by how small and well organized the classes
were.
"It was a highly professional atmosphere" she says. "And
because it's a postgraduate program, everyone was really enthusiastic
to
be there."
She credits the comprehensive range of courses at George
Brown for teaching her the cooking styles of the various
regions of Italy, and for giving her a greater
understanding of how food fits into the Italian culture, and strengthens bonds
within the family and community.
During her externship in Italy, Sonya worked
for a family who owned an oceanfront restaurant on the
Island of Elba, in Tuscany.
"It was a family-run restaurant just a few metres from the beach;
they owned an outdoor disco and a portion of the beach
as well," she
explains. "I
learned a lot... I worked six days a week for about 12 hours a day, and
had a lot of fun outside work as well - they treated me just like a daughter."
Part
of the ICAP program involves guest chefs from around the city sharing their
knowledge and experiences with the students. After such a presentation
by celebrated
local chef Massimo Capra, Sonya decided to pursue a job at his famed restaurant
Mistura upon her return to Toronto.
She is currently working there as an
entrée métier, where her job
is to prepare entrées with the sous-chef.
"Working at Mistura with Massimo is really satisfying," says
Sonya. "It's
not only because he has such a high level of skill, but I also like how
involved he is with the community through charity work. "
Although
she wants to return to Tuscany someday, for now Sonya
plans to keep working in Toronto, home of the second largest Italian
population
outside
of Italy.
"I'm fortunate to have been able to travel so much at a
young age," she
says. "But now I want to focus on working in the industry here;
this city has such an exciting culinary culture, and I want to be a part
of it."
Read more stories from George Brown Graduates...
We encourage you to visit the Hospitality & Tourism Chapter of the Alumni Association.
To learn more, visit the George
Brown College Alumni page.
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