My name is Martin Beller. I am a freshmen at Johnson and Wales University in North Miami, FL, and I have a passion for cooking. I love food, I mean LOVE food, and when ever I do something involving food (prepping it, cooking it, serving it, etc.), I tend to be so fascinated by the concept of food. I am always learning new techniques and recipes and I am always trying to further my education of culinary arts and hospitality.
My passion for food and culinary arts came when I was just a little kid. At the age of four, I was already watching countless episodes of "Emeril Live." I would force my mother to change the channel every day at eight 'o'clock so that I could watch my hero, Emeril Lagasse. I continued my passion at the age of ten when I joined the Young Chefs Academy in Coral Springs. This is where I knew that cooking was for me. I learned a lot about different cooking techniques as well as many recipes which I still have. The Academy even took me on a field trip behind the scenes of two very popular restaurants in Coral Springs and a 4-star hotel in the nearby city. At the age of 13, I attended a live presentation by Emeril Lagasse in Miami at the Adrienne Arsht Center. I learned about Emeril's culinary past, where he went to college, as well as some of his favorite simple dishes. From that point on, my culinary training came from my high school Prostart experience.
My instructor, Chef Robert DeSabatino, has taught me the most I know and though I still have a ways to go, he has definitely taught the basics.
I have completed four years of the National Prostart Program and am currently attending Johnson and Wales University as a Culinary Arts and Foodservice Management major. I have competed in the Coral Springs Teen Cook-Off twice now and I won both years. I have also competed in the state-wide Prostart Olympics. I am ServSafe industry certified and my certification will last five whole years. Chef Robert (Bob) has selected me as his sous chef out of all the other seniors in his classes and puts me in charge of many of the catering events and activities that the program gets involved in.
I have experience with both working the line and catering. I have worked at The Cook and the Cork in Coral Springs, FL, working as a line chef on the garde manger station and helping prepare food for other stations and for the catering company. Being a Johnson and Wales student, I have been exposed to multiple catering opportunities around the school including dinners for organizations and foundations and the St. Pelegrino All Famous Competition where we catered to the invited guests replicating the ten competitors dishes. I have also worked as a sales associate at Sur La Table in the Aventura Mall.
My heart and soul revolve around food, and though I have other likes and hobbies, food dominates as a PASSION. I wish to pursue my dream of traveling the world to experience culture in ways I have never experienced before. With this culture "feeding" my soul, I plan to open a restaurant based around world culture and the fusion of different cuisines. I may be ambitious, but I'm strong willed and willing to work not only for what I want, but for what I deserve. The world is full of culture and food is my favorite part about it. So, as Jean Brillat-Savarin once said and as interpreted today, you are what you eat, aren't you?