Joy Hernandez

Senior Joy Hernandez has had a passion for cooking and baking since a young age. This passion eventually led her to join the Culinary Arts program at FUHS after hearing her cousin talk about her experience in it prior to her freshman year of high school.

“My cousin was in [the culinary program] before me and I remember her telling me how much fun it was and since culinary was something I was already interested in I decided to join the program,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez is currently enrolled in Restaurant 2, the highest level available at FUHS with several students who have been involved in the culinary program since their freshman year of high school.

“Culinary is really fun especially when you get all the way up to Restaurant 2 because you’ve been with most of the same people for four years and you get close to people who share the same passion as you,” Hernandez said.

The program has not only helped Hernandez form bonds with people she now considers her tribe, but it’s helped her personally as it’s encouraged her to branch out.

“Culinary helped me branch out as my passion, and I’ve been able to get a job in the culinary business as well as catering for school events,” Hernandez said. “The program is really hands on and it’s the closest thing you’ll get to a restaurant setting so it gave me experience that I use at school and in my job.”

Hernandez is grateful for the opportunities culinary has offered her in life and for the people she’s gotten to meet through it.

“For me, tribe means family and culinary has definitely become part of my tribe. I’ve gotten to become close to people in culinary throughout the four years we’ve been together as a team.”  

By: Karen Martinez