Meet Shanell
Where are you from and what high school did you attend?
I’m from Boston I go to BDEA.
Besides cooking, what other passions/ interests do you have? How do you fulfill these passions/interests?
The main interest I have is learning and social justice. My passion for learning is day-to-day because you are always learning. For social justice, I always try to speak up and bring awareness and I’m going to fulfill it through my career and education.
What would you tell other young people who are interested in joining our program about Future Chefs?
I would definitely tell them to do it, you won’t really know what the program is about until you go there and meet the people. There is a lot to take away from it and a great experience. For me personally, it was a life-changing experience, I don’t think I would be where I am today if I hadn’t done this program. Don’t be intimidated by the fact that it says it’s for cooking because it is for everyone no matter what your passions are.
What are your school, career, and life goals over the next 3-5 years?
Go to community college, for my career to align with my passion for social justice, my goals are to be comfortable, not make work my whole life, I want to have a nice balance. Have my own place and my own car.
How have Future Chefs activities expanded your confidence?
It expanded my confidence in cooking overall, I got my Servsafe certification and that gave me the confidence to go get a job because I have the knowledge. The Pop-Up was really good for creativity- taking into account the community we are in and what they like. The program also helped me be confident in sharing my opinions and advocating for them.
How has the Future Chefs program impacted you?
It was life-changing. It has created a sense of community, I was isolated after covid, and being with people who cared about my well-being opened up for me how important having a community is. It gave me the inspiration to do something similar to create social impact.