1. What was it that caused you ot pick culinary as your career path? I got into the culinary industry by starting at a young age with my grandparents. Every Friday when my grandparents came over to watch my brother and me, I would help my grandfather cook dinner. Coming from an Italian family, he taught me a lot of the basics of Italian cuisine. 2. What segment of food service do you envision for yourself? My vision is to either become a private chef or open my own restaurant. I have thought about owning my own restaurant after my grandfather passed away. I always thought to myself how he brought a smile to people’s faces, and I thought I could do the same with a restaurant in his honor one day, and bring smiles to the community I own a restaurant in. I have also thought of becoming a private chef after I had the pleasure of getting to work with Chef Chris Lavecchia. He took me under his wing and taught me how to serve guests as a private chef. I had the pleasure of working with Chef Chris Lavecchia for multiple months before going off to SUNY Delhi for their Culinary Program. 3. What would be your next step after graduation? Once I graduate from SUNY Delhi, I plan on working my way up the brigade system, and hopefully, one day, I will become a head chef in a restaurant. Once I successfully achieve that, I plan on either becoming a private chef or the owner of a restaurant. While I work on those goals, I will also continue to challenge myself by competing in different culinary competitions. 4. What, if anything, would you like to change in restaurant operations today? If I could change one thing about operations today in a restaurant, I would change the hours/pay for chefs. We are working 12-hour shifts close to six times a week, and some chefs only make minimum wage. I would like to change this to where all kitchen staff have a more competitive salary above minimum wage. 5. What have you learned in your culinary training that was most exciting? The most exciting thing I have currently learned in my culinary training is the different ways to complete a Nicholas McGoverns A Student Answers Why He Chose a Culinary Path.
four-course menu in a set amount of time. As a member of The SUNY Delhi Hot Food Team this year, we competed in the Northeast region and were tasked with serving an appetizer, salad, entrée, and dessert course in one hour. This experience taught me so much in the areas of time control, multitasking, and creativity. 6.B eing a student of the culinary arts, and knowing what you know now, would you recommend this field to others who are undecided about a career choice? As a student who has experience in the culinary arts industry, I would recommend this career to others who are not sure of what career they want to pursue. This career can be demanding at times, but at the end of the day, you know that you have brought a smile to your guests with the quality of service and food they received. To me, there is no better feeling than ending a shift than sitting down and thinking about all the joy you brought to your guests. Nicholas McGoverns ACF LI Student Member Of The Year 2025, SUNY Delhi CFC | SUNY Delhi Hot Foods Team 2026 2026 NE Regional Student Team
Hospitality News / LI Edition / August 2026 / Page 26
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