Then and Now

I was 28, living in Park City doing the ski thing, and working in restaurants.

I had tried college once before—I was on a soccer scholarship, but I partied a lot and lost it. My whole life and future was about being an athlete. Soccer was my passion. I was upset, lost and wondered, 'What am I going to do? Nothing else brings me joy.'

It took me years to find something else I cared about as much—cooking food and bringing people together. I figured if I'm going to commit myself to a career, it's got to be something I really enjoy. Maybe one day I'd open my own restaurant.

I wanted to nail something down before I turned 30. Attending SLCC's Culinary Institute was a chance to learn more but also getting a degree was something I could be proud of.

Now, I'm the executive chef at the Washington School House Hotel in Park City. My time at SLCC and all my experiences up to this point have set me up to succeed. It's added to my arsenal of knowledge, --- allowing me to move up to this chef level.

"I had tried college once before—I was on a soccer scholarship, but I partied a lot and lost it."

Advice

Cliché or not, do something you really like doing. It might take a while to find it—it did for me. Drive for a goal you want to hit and be willing to put in the hard work and sacrifice, which right now might mean giving up some fun.