Natural Gourmet on the way . . . (hopefully)

Posted by: Val on: August 24, 2010

• In: School @ Natural Gourmet Institute
• 1 Comment

Mondays are usually looooong workdays, and today was no different. However, I did get something really important done . . . .

I HALF APPLIED TO SCHOOL!!!!

Sound weird? 8)

I was finally able to send out my actual application with the $150 fee. I still have to send a bunch of other documents, but I feel better knowing the preliminary stuff it’s on it’s way. I know applying to school a little under 3 months seems a little tight but I’m testing my power of positive thinking and truly trying to believe that I will be accepted. But because this helps me(obviously), let’s think about the worst thing that could happen if I don’t get accepted . . . .

A.) My dad/family/chris/friends/me will be disappointed

B.) I would have to wait until next semester which starts in April 2011

C.) . . . ? I really gotta stop writing C’s 🙄

I would be more upset with the disappointment then anything else. I don’t want to say I procrastinated because I really didn’t, but sometimes it’s really hard for me to get going with a big decision like this. I’ve been hyping this up for myself for so long and getting so excited and it would just be cruddy to know that I would have to wait another 6 months when I am ready NOW. Either way though, life will go on and I will deal with whatever happens when it happens.

I wanted to tell you a little bit about how i lead up to this moment though, and I will try my best to not draw it out.

My interest in nutrition started in my college health class. I was originally going to school for business management because i had no idea what i wanted to do. The professor who taught was also a nutritionist. I remember being so attentive in that class and really actually enjoyed the whole process. I was easily convinced by him to change my major to exercise science which was the closest health related major they offered. I remember learning about everything that had to do with exercise but it seemed as if i was just going through the motions. I’d only really light up when we would rarely study something about food and nutrition. I however took the easy way out and became a personal trainer.

At the time I left school, I was working for a local sports supplement company during the day, and personal training at night. I was working very long hours being immersed in exercise/fitness in every way. I had my own trainer that would send me workouts to do, i was on strict diets, and I even trained for a figure/bodybuilding competition that i never did. Something still didn’t feel right and I should have trusted my instincts. It took me about 2-3 years of doing this to finally admit to myself that I wasn’t in love with the exercise part of health. This was NOT easy. I built up such a reputation around this life and tried for so long to believe that it was what I wanted and loved but in reality, I just had to let it go and involve my life around something i am truly passionate about.

I left my job then and started looking for something else. I promised myself that if I didn’t find anything, i would start looking at culinary schools. Eventually, I landed a job being an assistant to a chiropractor which i am still at today. I am grateful for this job because it turned me on to a whole new aspect of natural health and wellness that i never knew existed. I’m always learning something new and I have a lot to thank for here, but still i felt the need to broaden my knowledge and personal satisfaction with something i love.

I heard about the Natural Gourmet Institute online when I was looking up culinary schools. I was looking for a school that combined cooking with nutrition and natural organic foods, and this honestly seemed to be the only school in the whole country that did that. The school is located in NYC and has had many many successful chefs train in their program who have written cookbooks, opened restaurants, started health movements in their cities . . . You name it! One of the more recognizable (to the average reality tv junkie) chefs that graduated there would be Bethenny Frankel.

Anyway, long story short (or saved for another time) I got right to an open house and fell in love with it there. I’m incredibly lucky to be able to live close enough to make the commute and become a part of the food world in the big city. There are so many opportunities and so many doors that could be opened for me. Even though it would be such a huge change, and there will be many many challenges if I get in, I am incredibly excited, and it feels like the right thing to do.

So . . . Here’s good luck to the second half of applying :D!

Tags: cooking, nutrition, school