Culinary students cook for their careers and help the community

The newest Hotspot restaurant in Barrio Logan is run entirely by culinary students.

Brian Brennan is one of the student chefs at the California Institute of Culinary Arts in Barrio Logan. He completed four months of serious training in commercial culinary arts.

“My experience with food has been mostly in front of the house,” Brennan said. “Until COVID stole my job and I decided to find a purpose. And I found myself really good at (cooking).”

Brennan is one of half a dozen advanced students who will spend the next four months on an internship, cooking and running the school’s newly opened Bistro restaurant. A group of students must run a restaurant, buy and cook food, and serve customers.

“Whether you make too much (of food) and waste money, or you make enough and it’s perfect…it’s a balancing act,” Brennan said.

The bistro is located in the courtyard of the California Institute of Culinary Arts at 1620 National Ave. Since opening on January 12, its opening hours are from Monday to Friday from 11:00 to 13:30.

The menu has been created by student staff and features an eclectic list of main courses including Roman fettuccine stew, a tuna sandwich with handmade potato chips, and arancini risotto balls in marinara sauce.

Arancini, made from risotto balls in marinara sauce, are on display at the California Institute of the Culinary Arts bistro. San Diego, California January 19, 2023

Students are mentored by the chef and founder of the school, Sohrab Zardkui. He is an immigrant from Iran with years of experience in kitchens around the world.

Zardkoohi started the school as a business, but Bistro will benefit the community. All proceeds from food sales are donated to help the homeless and the San Diego Humane Society.

Zardqui trains his students in the hope that they will pay up front.

“By running a restaurant as a manager or chef, they will be able to manage the front and back of the house. So in the future, if they want to own their own restaurant, they will have it. experience,” Zardqui said.

Wichit Wannarat, a member of the Bistro team, said she needed to find life again after losing her mother and three other family members to COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic. She understands Asian cuisine and is keen to use her talent to develop French and Italian bistro dishes.

She cooks in honor of those she has lost.

“I want them to be proud of me,” Vannarat said. “I want them to still know that I am doing this, even though life is hard without them.”

Chef and founder Sohrab Zardqui is featured in this image taken January 19, 2023 in San Diego, California.

Angelina Aguayo, a waitress student, said she had a simple plan for her future after her internship was to find a good and stable job in a restaurant.

“And maybe when I retire I’ll have a food truck and just travel the world,” Aguayo said. “I feel like it’s such a simple thing, but I love food and love to travel.”

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