Five years ago, I arrived in New York from Venezuela, where I was pursuing a career in the music industry. But getting into the industry in my country was too difficult. There was too much competition, so I decided to pursue another creative career. I enrolled in culinary school to try something new and discovered I loved it. Two months in, I began working in a restaurant. From there, I continued moving from restaurant to restaurant, gaining knowledge and experience in every place I worked.

Right now, I’m happy to report I’m working at my second fine-dining restaurant, and I’m at the place I always dreamt of being, at the level I’ve always wanted to be, and learning new techniques and levels of organization. For a long time, this dream seemed far away. I knew it was what I wanted from the moment I entered the fine-dining landscape two years ago. It mesmerized me. The level at which they operated was utterly different from anything I’d seen up to that point in my career. It furthered my love for this career, and now that I’m working on the pastry side, I’m even more amazed because it’s another dream come true.

Although I didn’t pursue music, no regrets there, I still draw similarities between the two. I get to create art someone else will enjoy, convey emotions through food, and when making desserts, I’m eager for people to try them and remember a particular moment. It’s a beautiful thing.