Hello, my name is Griffin Cook, I’m a first-year Dlab student at One Stone. This summer, I got my first job working at a unique catering company called Under The Table (UTT) where I helped cook five-course dinners for groups of eight guests, and take photos for the company’s social media. I’ve selected some of these photos to be the artifacts for my statement. Before Under The Table, I had very little interest in cooking for my job and only took photos as a hobby. I saw cooking as an important life skill, but something I couldn’t be successful in. I was shocked when One Stone’s Adan Callsen invited me to intern with UTT as I had very limited cooking experience, but accepted regardless because it was an amazing opportunity. Over the summer, I worked two Saturdays a month from three-thirty to nine accomplishing my goals of learning how to cook, plate food, wait tables, use effective kitchen knife skills, and elevating my photography from a hobby to a skill. Food means something completely different to me now, it’s a creative outlet, and my favorite part of using this outlet is getting to eat what I create, and being able to share it with others. The guests are their own company, they sit around a big table and talk to each other throughout the night. Being able to provide an experience that spreads good through interacting with strangers, getting to know them and sharing a meal is what makes UTT unique. The photos accompanying this statement each remind me of a fond memory, like when I made my first dish by myself, or when we tried something completely new. Not everyone gets the chance to have such an incredible first employment experience like I did. I’m extremely grateful to Adan and Kevin for giving me the chance to learn under them, and have such a positive and life changing experience. I’ve been inspired to pursue a career in cooking, where I’ll get to continue to spread good with good food.
