The-Laker-Issue-Spring-2022

treatment,” she explains. “There would be weeks when he was immunocompromised, and he needed me at home. Chef (Associate Professor Jamie Rotter) would let me make up assignments as much as possible and do things online.” CJ, now 15 and in remission, joins brother Logan and sister Bella, 11, at the bakery after school. Gary, too, says night classes were integral to his success because they allowed him to hold down a job. The program also requires 600 internship hours, and Gary’s assignment at the New York Wine and Culinary Center led directly to full-time work. “I was there on Saturday nights and working the line and putting out banquets … the requirement to do an internship and fully dive Then, he started cooking for his lacrosse team. “I thought, ‘I really enjoy this and all these people are pitching in money and want me to cook a meal, and they’re really thrilled about it and want me to do it often.’” Gary switched gears and transferred to FLCC. Kurt discovered his penchant for cooking later in life. After serving with the Marines, he worked in CNC (computer numerical control) machining for the aerospace industry and took an interest in barbecuing. “I had a smoker in the backyard, and some friends and I started doing some barbecuing, and I found out that I have somewhat of a knack for doing this,” he says. He entered Kansas City Barbecuing Society (KCBS) competitions and started winning. “My wife, Sharon, is basically the one who pushed me to go to culinary school at 41 years old. She’s the one that saw the passion, saw the desire, saw the drive and encouraged me to pursue it.” Sabrina had been making elaborate pastries for family and friends for years. Her shop’s Facebook account features photos of sugar-cookie cutouts shaped like Keuka Lake and a Harry Potter-inspired birthday cake (Slytherin house). By 2013, she was 28 and a divorced mom with twin boys and a baby girl. Sabrina felt she needed to do something for herself and discovered the culinary arts program, which had opened two years earlier. “When I saw culinary, I thought it was the best of both worlds. I could go ahead and prove to myself that I could manage college while doing something I love.” Going to school Still, college could not be all passion without practicality. Gary was working full-time, and Kurt and Sabrina had children. “I was able to take full-time classes and still be able to navigate my kids’ school schedule,” Sabrina says. “Having the night classes helped. You can jam a lot of credit hours into a little bit of time.” One of Sabrina’s twins was diagnosed with cancer at age 5. He was 18 months into his treatment when she enrolled. “I was working part-time four days a week, and then had the cakes, and I cleaned houses on the side while dealing with CJ’s the LAKER | 5 Gary Parmelee ’14 of Geneva enjoyed his years as a chef for the New York Wine and Culinary Center (now New York Kitchen) and FLX Table, though his new role as production manager for FLX Hospitality gives him greater work-life balance. “I was able to take full-time classes and still be able to navigate my kids’ school schedule. Having the night classes helped. You can jam a lot of credit hours into a little bit of time.” – Sabrina Miller ’15, owner of Sabrina’s Bake Shoppe in Penn Yan