From head chef to head surgeon

Hey everyone, Chris here,

I recently had to opportunity to have a sit down dinner with one of the newest colleagues at the Lodewick Visitors Center, Taylor Fitzpatrick. One interesting fact about Taylor that many people may not know about Taylor is she actually has experience working as a chef at a five star restaurant!

Ever since she was a child, Taylor was always a fan of food, hence why her favorite toy growing up was her easy bake oven. She would constantly ask her parents (who are also good cooks) about the best cooking ingredients and specific information on different cooking styles.  So when Taylor began working as a chef for Restaurant 42 in White Plains, New York, she was far beyond qualified for the job.

Taylor had a wonderful experience working as a chef and learned valued information, however her true career path lies within the medical field. She is currently majoring in Psychology with aspirations of going to medical school and becoming a surgeon. I’m not sure how many surgeons start out as chefs, but Taylor believes her experience as a chef as provided her with valuable learning material that will be applicable to life as a surgeon. Working as chef has defiantly taught her how to maintain her composure and to work well under pressure. When multiple orders come in at once, she has to make quick decisions on the best approach to solve the issue and execute accordingly. Another valuable skill that Taylor has learned while working as a chef is the ability to work in a team unit. A surgeon has to be able to coordinate along with the anesthesiologist and nursing staff in order to successfully complete any type of surgery. I’m sure the operating table will be no kitchen, but all of Taylor’s cooking experience will no doubt help her along her path.