End of the innocence

Monday is my very last day at culinary school. That's it. Finished. Fini. No more. Arrivedercci (or however that is spelled). Sayonara, shalom and goodnight. It is amazing to think that 18+ months of hard work, spectaular successes and some notable failures will all end on Monday. As it happens I get to finish on a high note - one pastillage showpiece (a peacock. I hate it. I could have and should have done much better) and a chocolate showpiece (theme yet to be determined...) So it's going to be a challenging day, which is fitting for a person like myself who thrives on challenge. I'm immensely proud to have finished my course but also slightly terrified - I can't hide behind the "but I'm still in training" cloak anymore. Time to stand on my own two chocolate covered, flour dusted feet. I do wonder about the future of my classmates - will the ones I think are full of promise really fulfill that promise? Will the ones I think are destined to never be pastry chefs, prove me wrong? Will the ones who are so brilliant and yet lack confidence, somehow find their way? Will I ever see any of them again? I approach Monday with bittersweet feelings - excited for myself, sad at the idea of not seeing these people as often as I have seen them. Weeks, months, years of cheering one another on, of stressing over exams, sharing homework woes and teacher complaints, celebrating one another's triumph over the injustices of ovens that don't work, sugar which doesn't stick, and cooking partners who don't seem to know their pastry from their ...well, anything really. THESE are the people who made it possible for me to succeed thus far, the people to whom I am eternally grateful. Their laughter, tears, and endless supply of dodgy food from vending machines has made it all worth it.

So - Sheridan, Jess L, Jess F, Christian, Jana, and even Giselle: Thank you. I couldn't have done it without you, and I hope we continue to share the amazing support we've built thus far.