Crispy salmon sizzles in Senior Mona Wang’s frying pan as she prepares her next meal. Since eighth grade, cooking has been a favorite hobby of Wang’s, and she often shares dishes with family and friends.
Growing up, she was inspired to learn the skill by her parents’ love for cooking, as well as her desire to be self-sufficient. With their advice, she was able to learn some basics.
“My mom was a great cook and my dad actually used to be a chef, so I watched them as I grew up,” Wang said. “They helped me become more comfortable with the knife and control the heat while cooking.”
Five years ago, she could barely fry eggs on a stove. Now, Wang prepares the majority of her own meals, and enjoys experimenting with French and Italian cuisine.
She takes pride in how much she has learned and how versatile she has become in using different ingredients, and advises that other students try to gain culinary experience as well.
“You can take care of yourself and become more independent,” Wang said. “More importantly though, you can better control what goes into your body.”
Even with all of her knowledge, she recognizes that she still has much to learn. Recently, Wang made a Japanese bento box, which was one of her more difficult projects due to the meal’s many components. However, she embraces the challenge that comes with trying to replicate different styles of food.
“I love to try out new recipes,” Wang said. “I’m not afraid to work with unfamiliar ingredients or new ways of cooking.”
In the future, she knows she will continue to use her skills throughout her college years and hopes to improve even more by then. For now, Wang wishes to continue to experiment with different cultural dishes as well as share her cooking with those around her.
“Cooking is all about sharing the happiness with others,” Wang said. “Not only about taking care of yourself.”