{"id":71018,"date":"2025-09-26T07:00:05","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T12:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/?p=71018"},"modified":"2025-10-07T09:38:21","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T14:38:21","slug":"saying-yes-to-every-station-chef-miguel-omeldo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/success-stories\/saying-yes-to-every-station-chef-miguel-omeldo\/","title":{"rendered":"Chef Instructor Miguel Olmedo\u2019s Advice for Future Chefs: Say \u2018Yes\u2019 to Every Station"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>Listen to This Article:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"elevenlabs-audionative-widget\" data-height=\"90\" data-width=\"100%\" data-frameborder=\"no\" data-scrolling=\"no\" data-publicuserid=\"d443feec80bf8c8f2e009e26dafa4118e6eb9f14056a5516af577c77d4404c4e\" data-playerurl=\"https:\/\/elevenlabs.io\/player\/index.html\" data-projectid=\"OlWsomT56kyamKegNfUP\">Loading the <a href=\"https:\/\/elevenlabs.io\/text-to-speech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Elevenlabs Text to Speech<\/a> AudioNative Player&#8230;<\/div>\n<p><script src=\"https:\/\/elevenlabs.io\/player\/audioNativeHelper.js\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The Sunday brunch rush aboard the Queen Mary was already in full swing. Servers weaved through narrow galleyways. The pastry station buzzed with trays of fruit tarts and flour-dusted prep tables. And at the center of it all stood a young cook in full uniform: wide-eyed, energized, and completely hooked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was like a kid in the candy store,\u201d says Chef Miguel Olmedo. \u201cI was experimenting, eating, tasting, cooking, asking questions\u2014just totally submerged 100 percent into the culinary world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That shift didn\u2019t just kick off a day of brunch service. It launched a career. One that would span fine dining, sushi, 7,000-guest banquets, and award-winning barbecue, and eventually lead Chef Miguel to the classroom as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/about\/chef-instructors\/miguel-olmedo\/\">Chef Instructor<\/a> at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.<\/p>\n<p>Chef Miguel\u2019s story is proof that one unexpected opportunity can open the door to something bigger, especially if you stay curious and keep saying yes.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_71021\" style=\"width: 778px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-71021\" class=\"wp-image-71021 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Chef-Miguel-Olmedo-stands-confidently-in-front-of-an-Auguste-Escoffier-School-of-Culinary-Arts-backdrop-arms-crossed-and-smiling.webp\" alt=\"Chef Miguel Olmedo stands confidently in front of an Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts backdrop, arms crossed and smiling.\" width=\"768\" height=\"968\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Chef-Miguel-Olmedo-stands-confidently-in-front-of-an-Auguste-Escoffier-School-of-Culinary-Arts-backdrop-arms-crossed-and-smiling.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Chef-Miguel-Olmedo-stands-confidently-in-front-of-an-Auguste-Escoffier-School-of-Culinary-Arts-backdrop-arms-crossed-and-smiling-238x300.webp 238w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-71021\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chef Miguel Olmedo representing Escoffier with decades of culinary experience behind him.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>The Queen Mary: Where It All Began<\/h2>\n<p>Before the fine dining menus and barbecue awards, before culinary school and teaching, Miguel\u2019s love for food started in family kitchens. He remembers his grandparents and aunts cooking for hours, layering flavors, building dishes from scratch, and serving meals that brought everyone together.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe food was so fresh, so good. And that stayed with me,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>So when he stepped into the kitchen of the Queen Mary for a Sunday brunch shift during his first kitchen job, those memories came rushing back. And it didn\u2019t take long for the pace and energy to pull him in.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI felt overwhelmed, but with excitement,\u201d Chef Miguel says. \u201cThere was a lot of lingo and language I didn\u2019t know, and I had to learn the hard way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Queen Mary, an iconic ocean liner turned hotel docked in Long Beach, California, became Chef Miguel\u2019s proving ground. At 6-foot-2, he had to duck through tight galleyways and hunch over low prep tables. He hadn\u2019t been to culinary school yet, so every <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/culinary-arts\/8-knife-cuts-every-professional-cook-should-know\/\">knife cut<\/a> and station was a lesson in real time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t even know to tuck my fingers,\u201d he says. \u201cI had a lot of nicks and cuts from those early days.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Still, he kept showing up. Over seven years, Miguel worked his way through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/culinary-pastry-careers\/different-types-of-chef-jobs-in-the-brigade-de-cuisine\/\">every station<\/a> on the ship\u2014from banquets and garde manger to hot kitchen\u2014and eventually found his stride in Sir Winston\u2019s, the Queen Mary\u2019s four-star fine dining restaurant. A favorite among Hollywood celebrities looking for a hidden gem close to the city, it drew big names like actor Don Johnson, who came through the kitchen one evening in the late \u201980s. Around the same time, Miguel also helped prepare lunch for President Ronald Reagan and his security team during a campaign stop.<\/p>\n<h2>Following Curiosity Across Kitchens<\/h2>\n<p>From the moment he stepped into his first kitchen, Miguel kept saying yes\u2014to new stations, new techniques, and new flavors.<\/p>\n<p>After the Queen Mary, he transferred to the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim in search of new experiences. There, he dove deeper into banquets and seafood-forward California cuisine, working in a semi-formal restaurant where dishes like grilled swordfish and seared scallops went out in high volume.<\/p>\n<p>But it was his next stop, at the Sheraton in Long Beach, that sparked something entirely new: a love for sushi.<\/p>\n<p>The hotel had a neighboring Japanese kitchen, and Miguel couldn\u2019t stay away. \u201cI was always going over there and watching them roll sushi\u2014and eating it, tasting it, getting my hands on it,\u201d he says. \u201cSo I learned the art of how to cook the rice, the knife cuts, the rolling, the presentation. That\u2019s where my love just exploded for sushi.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>By day, he was breaking down large cuts of meats and preparing banquet classics. By night, he was immersing himself in a completely different culinary world: precise, delicate, minimalist, and deeply technique-driven.<\/p>\n<p>That duality captures Miguel\u2019s approach to cooking: every experience is a chance to grow. He never limited himself to one style or station. He learned by doing, watching, asking questions, and then doing it all again.<\/p>\n<p>For months, he juggled two jobs across the street from each other.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI would work at the Sheraton from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Then I\u2019d walk across the street, clock in at 11:30, and work through the graveyard shift until two o\u2019clock the next day,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>Though officially hired for an on-call part-time graveyard shift, it quickly became a near full-time role over the next six months, sustained by 50-minute power naps. When asked how he powered through that schedule, Miguel doesn\u2019t sugarcoat it. \u201cWhen you\u2019re young, you feel invincible. You have this energy and this power, the stamina. You just keep going nonstop. And you\u2019re so submerged into the industry. The only thing that keeps you going is, we\u2019ve got to get this job done.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>A Jack of All Trades in the Big City<\/h2>\n<p>After months of pulling double shifts in California and saving all he could, Chef Miguel made the leap to New York. He had always wanted to live out of state, and when he moved, he arrived with no winter gear, no job lined up, and no idea what to expect.<\/p>\n<p>But soon after, he landed a role at the New York Hilton and Towers. There, he became a roundsman\u2014someone who works every station in the kitchen, learning each one inside and out.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA lot of people want to just concentrate on one area, but that puts blinders on you,\u201d Chef Miguel says. \u201cWhen you become a roundsman, you become a jack of all trades, and that makes you more valuable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At the Hilton, he rotated through banquets, soups, garde manger, butchering, saut\u00e9, fine dining, and casual service, absorbing something new at every turn. The scale was staggering: 3,000 breakfasts, 7,000 lunches and dinners. And that wasn\u2019t for a holiday rush. That was a regular day.<\/p>\n<p>He even catered for celebrities from time to time. During Comedy Central\u2019s roast of actor Danny Aiello, which was held at the Hilton, Chef Miguel\u2019s team cooked for Aiello, actress Lucy Lawless, and a roomful of VIPs.<\/p>\n<p>Working at that pace meant no shortcuts. Systems had to be tight, timing had to be precise, and every plate had to be consistent.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou learn to be fast without cutting corners,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd you learn how to stay organized when the pressure\u2019s on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Those lessons stuck.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt gives you more experience, and you\u2019re also able to pass on knowledge to the future generation,\u201d he says. \u201cThat\u2019s what my journey has been about, all the way to where I am now.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_71020\" style=\"width: 778px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-71020\" class=\"wp-image-71020 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Chef-Miguel-Olmedo-helps-a-student-plate-a-dish-in-a-teaching-kitchen-at-Escoffier.-768.webp\" alt=\"Chef Miguel Olmedo helps a student plate a dish in a teaching kitchen at Escoffier.\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Chef-Miguel-Olmedo-helps-a-student-plate-a-dish-in-a-teaching-kitchen-at-Escoffier.-768.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Chef-Miguel-Olmedo-helps-a-student-plate-a-dish-in-a-teaching-kitchen-at-Escoffier.-768-300x200.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-71020\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Guiding the next generation of chefs, one dish at a time.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2>From Brisket Blunder to Barbecue Recognition<\/h2>\n<p>After a series of roles on both coasts, Miguel found himself in Texas. He\u2019d been sent by his company to help staff a struggling property, and before long, they offered him a permanent position. New state, new kitchen, new menu, and, soon enough, a new challenge.<\/p>\n<p>In 2000, he was <a href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/shorts\/gx8z1rSEly0?si=zQnjbNM37soocsQd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">asked to prepare a barbecue banquet<\/a> for 150 people aboard a boat out on the lake. The menu included brisket, ribs, sausage, and chicken\u2014classic Texas fare. But coming from California, Miguel\u2019s version of \u201cbarbecue\u201d looked a little different.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven my family, when they talk about [barbecue], they mean burgers and hot dogs,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>He pauses.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s not barbecue.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Miguel had never smoked a brisket before. He figured it was like any other roast\u2014just throw it on the smoker for a couple hours and call it done.<\/p>\n<p>So that\u2019s exactly what he did.<\/p>\n<p>He smoked the brisket for just two hours.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018It was inedible. They couldn\u2019t chew it,\u201d he recalls. Even worse, they were out on the lake, not in a restaurant, so there was no fixing it.<\/p>\n<p>Back in the kitchen, his executive chef let him have it: \u201cHe said, \u2018New York, you can\u2019t cook brisket.\u2019 I had to say, \u2018First of all, I\u2019m from Southern California.\u2019 But still, he wasn\u2019t wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Instead of brushing off the mistake, Miguel took it personally, and turned it into fuel. He dove headfirst into the world of barbecue, learning everything he could about woods, rubs, smoke, time, temperature, and regional traditions. He talked to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/culinary-pastry-careers\/how-to-become-a-pitmaster\/\">pitmasters<\/a>. He visited <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/success-stories\/from-desk-job-in-finance-to-texas-barbecue-expert\/\">legendary joints<\/a>. He tested recipes and kept refining the brisket that had once flopped so hard.<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, that same dedication paid off in a big way. In 2003, Better Homes &amp; Gardens visited the restaurant where Miguel was Executive Chef, looking to feature standout barbecue chefs and recipes. They ended up naming him one of the top 10 chefs in the country for barbecue and featured one of his recipes in the magazine.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was shocked,\u201d he says. \u201cWhy me? I\u2019m not a pitmaster. But I tried to learn everything I could, and I kept showing up. That mistake really lit a fire under me.\u201d<\/p>\n\t<div class=\"aic-embed-video-wrap\">\n\t\t<div class=\"video aic-embed-video aic-youtube-short aic-youtube-video lazyload-yt-video\">\n\t\t\t<iframe\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"video__media\"\n\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gx8z1rSEly0?rel=0\"\n\t\t\t\tframeborder=\"0\"\n\t\t\t\tallow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\"\n\t\t\t\ttitle=\"Embedded Video\"\n\t\t\t\tallowfullscreen\n\t\t\t><\/iframe>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n<p class=\"videocaption\"><em>Escoffier Chef Instructor Miguel Olmedo talks about his brisket blunder and what he learned from the experience.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>How Miguel Brought It All Back to the Classroom<\/h2>\n<p>After years spent in fast-paced kitchens and high-pressure roles, Chef Miguel found himself drawn to a different kind of challenge: teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Throughout his career, he\u2019d mentored countless cooks, from prep staff to breakfast line cooks and banquet teams. Eventually, he realized he wanted to make that part of the job his full-time focus. So when a former pastry chef-turned-instructor invited him to teach at Escoffier, he said yes.<\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"video tmm-tiktok-video\">\n\t\t<iframe class=\"lazyload video__media\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed\/v2\/7314060186866568490\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-same-origin\"><\/iframe>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<p class=\"videocaption\"><em>Escoffier Chef Instructor Miguel Olmedo demonstrates how to skin a piece of salmon using only his hand to do so.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Now in his ninth year at the school, Chef Miguel brings decades of hands-on experience (and a whole lot of heart) to the next generation of culinarians. He teaches foundational culinary courses, walking students through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/culinary-arts\/different-knives-and-the-best-uses-for-each\/\">knife skills<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/recipes\/how-to-make-the-five-mother-sauces\/\">classic sauces<\/a>, stocks, proteins, and the building blocks of classic cuisine. But his lessons go far beyond technique.<\/p>\n<p>His goal? Build confidence. Teach grit. Normalize mistakes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re going to be in foundation courses. You\u2019re going to make mistakes. We expect you to,\u201d he tells his students. \u201cIf you don\u2019t make a mistake, you\u2019re not going to learn. Make those mistakes now, so when you&#8217;re out in the industry, you don\u2019t make them later.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s the first to say that the most important thing is not to shut down when something goes wrong.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGrab the bull by the horns and dive in,\u201d he says. \u201cLearn what went wrong, figure out how to fix it, and move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For students in their twenties, he encourages full immersion. Now\u2019s the time to absorb everything. Learn the basics. Build a recipe library. Practice your cuts. Make the mistakes and grow from them.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_71023\" style=\"width: 778px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-71023\" class=\"wp-image-71023 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Chef-Miguel-Olmedo-teaches-a-group-of-culinary-students-in-a-professional-kitchen-gesturing-as-he-explains-a-technique.-768.webp\" alt=\"Chef Miguel Olmedo teaches a group of culinary students in a professional kitchen, gesturing as he explains a technique.\" width=\"768\" height=\"750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Chef-Miguel-Olmedo-teaches-a-group-of-culinary-students-in-a-professional-kitchen-gesturing-as-he-explains-a-technique.-768.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Chef-Miguel-Olmedo-teaches-a-group-of-culinary-students-in-a-professional-kitchen-gesturing-as-he-explains-a-technique.-768-300x293.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-71023\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Miguel brings real-world experience into every lesson.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>But Chef Miguel\u2019s encouragement doesn\u2019t stop there. He\u2019s a firm believer that it\u2019s never too late to enter the kitchen.<\/p>\n<p>In your thirties? \u201cYou\u2019re more focused, more serious about what you want,\u201d he says. \u201cYou\u2019ve gotten through the restless years, and now you\u2019re more settled in your vision.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In your fifties? \u201cWe see students in their fifties all the time. Some are ex-military. Some are semi-retired. For them, it\u2019s not a hobby, it\u2019s a passion they\u2019ve held for years. Now that they have the space and time, they can finally go after it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/culinary-pastry-careers\/am-i-too-old-to-become-a-chef\/\">No matter your age<\/a> or background, Miguel\u2019s advice stays the same: show up, do the work, and stay hungry to learn.<\/p>\n<p>He also encourages students to seek out jobs that stretch them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you really have the passion\u2014which you should\u2014find a workplace that\u2019s going to teach you different stations,\u201d he says. \u201cIt makes you more valuable, stronger, and more adaptable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While he\u2019s all for fine dining and small restaurant experience, Chef Miguel advises students not to stay in one place too long.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLearn from it. But don\u2019t stay there forever,\u201d he says. \u201cMove around every two or three years to gain more experience.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>The Long Game: Finding Balance in a Demanding Industry<\/h2>\n<p>These days, Chef Miguel is still doing what he\u2019s always done: staying curious and showing up with intention. But he\u2019s also learned the importance of balance, especially after years spent in high-pressure kitchens.<\/p>\n<p>He makes time to move\u2014hiking, biking, running when he can\u2014not just for health, but to stay strong enough to keep teaching with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/success-stories\/kristen-kish-defining-wellness-food-industry\/\">focus and energy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe key to handling stress in this industry is taking care of yourself: mind, body, and spirit,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"video tmm-tiktok-video\">\n\t\t<iframe class=\"lazyload video__media\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed\/v2\/7551206410286058765\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-scripts allow-top-navigation allow-same-origin\"><\/iframe>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<p class=\"videocaption\"><em>Escoffier Chef Instructor Miguel Olmedo mixes fun with skill when he teaches, like when he tournees a potato blindfolded behind his back.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>He also carves out time to explore the restaurant world outside the classroom. Chef Miguel regularly visits both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/world-food-drink\/fine-dining-etiquette-a-guide\/\">fine dining<\/a> spots and casual neighborhood kitchens, paying attention to presentation, ingredients, and evolving styles.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGo see what\u2019s happening now,\u201d he tells his students. \u201cTaste what other chefs are doing. That way, when I come back to teach, I\u2019m not just teaching what was relevant ten years ago. I\u2019m refreshed, I\u2019m stronger, and I can give students insight into what\u2019s happening now\u2014and where the industry is heading next.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s just another way he leads by example: staying inspired, staying engaged, and always making room to grow.<\/p>\n<h2>A Message for Aspiring Chefs<\/h2>\n<p>\u2018You never know how far you can go if you don&#8217;t try.&#8221; Miguel says. It\u2019s a simple piece of advice, but one that shaped his entire career.<\/p>\n<p>From novice cook on the Queen Mary to award-winning chef and respected educator, Miguel\u2019s journey wasn\u2019t mapped out in advance. It was built step by step through curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to grow.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They always say you choose the profession. I think the profession chose me because that&#8217;s the path that I&#8217;ve taken without me looking forward to forcing myself into it,\u201d he says. \u201cIt kind of just fell into place.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>That lived experience is what makes Miguel such a powerful presence in the classroom. He understands that culinary careers don\u2019t always follow a straight line, and that\u2019s okay. Whether his students are 18 or 58, just starting out or pivoting mid-career, he meets them where they are and encourages them to keep moving forward.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI aspire to inspire,\u201d he says with a laugh.<\/p>\n<p>For future culinarians, Miguel\u2019s story is both a roadmap and a reminder: you don\u2019t need a perfect plan. Just the courage to begin.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever thought about stepping into the kitchen, explore more about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/academics\/\">Escoffier\u2019s culinary programs<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/contact-us\/\">contact us today<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n\t\n\t<h3 class=\"additional-articles-heading\">FEELING INSPIRED? KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING. HERE&#8217;S WAHT TO READ NEXT:<\/h3>\n\n\t\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/culinary-pastry-careers\/the-highest-paying-culinary-jobs-and-positions\/\">The Highest Paying Culinary Jobs and Positions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/culinary-pastry-careers\/the-essential-guide-to-culinary-occupations\/\">The Essential Guide to Careers in Foodservice<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/culinary-pastry-careers\/what-skills-do-you-need-to-be-a-chef\/\">What Skills Do You Need to Become a Chef?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From brunch shifts to barbecue acclaim, how Chef Miguel Olmedo built a culinary career full of flavor, grit, and inspiration.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":71019,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1371],"tags":[1299,885],"class_list":["post-71018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-success-stories","tag-career-advancement","tag-chef-instructor"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.6 - 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