When you find something you're passionate about, the motivation to pursue it will follow. Let go of practical concerns for a moment and focus on the one thing you're most passionate about.

Career

Identify what you're most passionate about.

Don't compare yourself to someone else's achievements, but instead start something and keep at it and everything will work out. Learn how perseverance could equal success! 

Skills

Watch a TED Talk about perseverance. 

Do some research, watch cooking tutorials, and read cookbooks for inspiration! Try to come up with a brand new recipe or experiment with changing ingredients to an existing one.

Create your own recipe!

Chefs

Direct and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts.

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

First Interest High-Point

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Third Interest High-Point

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Second Interest High-Point

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Chefs and Head Cooks

Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers

Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

Check the quality of raw or cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.

Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations.

Check the quantity and quality of received products.

Order or requisition food or other supplies needed to ensure efficient operation.

Supervise or coordinate activities of cooks or workers engaged in food preparation.

Inspect supplies, equipment, or work areas to ensure conformance to established standards.

Determine how food should be presented and create decorative food displays.

Instruct cooks or other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, or presentation of food.

Estimate amounts and costs of required supplies, such as food and ingredients.

Collaborate with other personnel to plan and develop recipes or menus, taking into account such factors as seasonal availability of ingredients or the likely number of customers.

Analyze recipes to assign prices to menu items, based on food, labor, and overhead costs.

Prepare and cook foods of all types, either on a regular basis or for special guests or functions.

Determine production schedules and staff requirements necessary to ensure timely delivery of services.

Recruit and hire staff, such as cooks and other kitchen workers.

Meet with customers to discuss menus for special occasions, such as weddings, parties, or banquets.

Demonstrate new cooking techniques or equipment to staff.

Meet with sales representatives to negotiate prices or order supplies.

Arrange for equipment purchases or repairs.

Record production or operational data on specified forms.

Plan, direct, or supervise food preparation or cooking activities of multiple kitchens or restaurants in an establishment such as a restaurant chain, hospital, or hotel.

Coordinate planning, budgeting, or purchasing for all the food operations within establishments such as clubs, hotels, or restaurant chains.

Apple corers

Blast chillers

Blenders

Bone saws

Boning knives

Box graters

Braziers

Bread slicers

Broilers

Cake decorating tools

Cappuccino makers

Carbonated beverage dispensers

Chefs' knives

Commercial coffee grinders

Commercial coffeemakers

Commercial dishwashers

Commercial microwave ovens

Convection ovens

Conveyer ovens

Cream whippers

Desktop computers

Double boilers

Dry or liquid measuring cups

Electric deep-fat fryers

Electric ovens

Electric stoves

Fire suppression blankets

Food dicers

Food processors

Food shredders

Food smokers

Fruit zesters

Garbage compactors

Gas ovens

Gas stoves

Gas-powered deep-fat fryers

Griddles

Grills

Hot dog cookers

Ice shaving or crushing equipment

Ice-making machines

Infrared heat lamps

Instant-read pocket thermometers

Juice dispensers

Juice extractors

Kitchen fire extinguishers

Kitchen shears

Kitchen tongs

Knife sharpeners

Laptop computers

Mandolines

Meat grinders

Meat slicers

Meat thermometers

Melon ballers

Mixers

Oyster knives

Paring knives

Parisian cutters

Pasta machines

Personal computers

Pizza ovens

Plane graters

Portion scales

Pressurized steam cookers

Refrigerator thermometers

Rice cookers

Rolling pins

Rotisserie units

Salamanders

Serrated blade knives

Sieves

Sifters

Slicing machines

Steam kettles

Steam tables

Strainers

Toasters

Vegetable brushes

Vegetable peelers

Waffle makers

Woks

ADP eTIME

Axxya Systems Nutritionist Pro

Barrington Software CookenPro Commercial

CostGuard

Culinary Software Services ChefTec

Delphi Technology

EGS CALCMENU

EGS F&B Control

Email software

GNOME Gnutrition

Google spreadsheet

Internet browser software

IPro Restaurant Inventory, Recipe & Menu Software

Menu planning software

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Word

Just because you failed at things doesn't mean you're a failure it means you should just try another avenue...

I grew up in uptown New Orleans which is one of the grimiest areas, full of crime. I saw a lot of people around me going down bad paths, but I chose not to do those things. I wanted to finish school and make something of myself. 

Chef

Hard work doesn't pay! I've been working hard, but it hasn't paid off yet.

Everywhere you turn people try to tell you who to be and what about deciding for yourself? empowers people to define their people from different backgrounds, from all walks of life. build a life around doing what you love. because none of us have been. made it all the way to New Orleans. different than what I'm used to. and I just want that to continue. just totally blow my mind. up on those big fans. >> Yeah. eye out for alligators. like you stop and it's silent. questions about alligators. I'm Louisiana state champ since I was 10 years old. fun back in the old days. alligators, they swim with them. how does one wrestle an alligator? seriously? what if something happened? save him? save him, like. 27 years. that you won with lesson? >> [MUSIC]. we could have gotten, alligator wrestler in Louisiana [LAUGH]. >> You all wanna see it. where my family's from. those places that I would never go to. much that felt out of reach. that never leave Oakland. of seeing all this stuff. these different places. comparing it to situation back in the bay. a lot of people don't get to do. somebody new that you don't even know. say like, so what was your life like? and what that means and that comes from uptown New Orleans. here is where a lot a crime takes place. places from where I came from. I love to be in the kitchen. give them something that I cooked. that's what I'm trying to promote. that's fruitful of everything. this is the perfect place for me. comes a different perspective. idea, written on the roof of the RV. >> It's never too late. in the range of people to talk to. we currently have 166 residents. can remember, that I loved animals and it's like now I've tackled it so me to start dreaming again. young I really wanted to work with chimps, what do I want now? never even thought about. then what do you do there? got to stop there mentally. I think it's important just to keep at it. changed a lot just in a couple of weeks. >> [LAUGH] new people and having new experiences. that your battling habit. no habitual safety net on the road. the new version of yourself you wanna be. rattling it. and that's sometimes what I enjoy doing. seeing the different type of people, I love it. >> We're in St. the Zombie Fun Run or the Zombie Run. >> [LAUGH] I'm so her out of character in the end. >> [NOISE] people took their jobs. been running for my life. path and you had to sprint around them. need to keep an open mind because an availability to do so many things. staging zombie apocalypses. gonna go around [INAUDIBLE]. what are you talking about? but you'd be surprised. you're really passionate about, apocalypse, how long would you last? with stickers with all the states on. with the states here, too. of Roadtrip Nation stickers, of cover all of the states, eventually. something. belt going across the country now, then going up towards the Northeast. to work in human rights. was discovering that I was way more happy, spinning things on the ends of ropes. that I was expecting when I came here. you say Prop spinning? just kind of a step out of pace I ever went, where I'm just like, people just like me. it was to see it that night. absolutely terrible. >> We've got some rope beginners in here my poi 101 class, yeah? >> Yeah, it might help that whenever you >> [LAUGH] That keeps happening. I've always had a love of learning. taken me to go see Hotel Rwanda. really, really moved me on a deep level. in Darfur at that point. see if there was anything I can do. bunch of local activists. bigger thing for me. to pursue it as a full-time career. Genocide Intervention Network hired me. human rights to this? like just changing your passion. to like really help other people. leaving the human rights field and now still helping other people? the reason was just discovering the organizations that work on it. a point when I saw some of the things they had weren't helping. the people that we wanted to help. actually, teach fire dancing there for a month. accomplished more in that month. and interacting with them, their lives were like. worked at the organization for that. you're gonna make in the world, something that I'd done right, [SOUND] That's what I'm talking about >> It was like a night and day kind of making a kind of positive difference, a difference in their world. at the fire festivals. I'm so glad that you're doing this. the videos that you're putting out. risky decision to make at the time, absolutely nobody. years, I've got great benefits, I'm extremely happy. me the greatest joy in the time even the age of the Earth. lucky any of us are to have however many years we get. anything with it other than of it as much as I can. it's just about losing yourself in it for the immediate gains and almost like mediation. you feel the heat, you hear the noise. just it starts in your ears and through your entire body. guys want to take me up on it. five minutes without hitting yourself and you can light up. you guys want to light up? >> [LAUGH] come around and you hear it, man. >> There you go. he looked really [INAUDIBLE]. well I have to do it. >> Three, two, one. but I was pretty nervous. I kinda lost what my left arm was doing. He almost seen anyone we describe their passion of stuff you don't think somebody just love to that much. gonna see me spinning something on fire >> That was pretty cool. that speaks to the soul. away is find your people. to burning man, he was at home. look like us. tattooed women out there. amidst a world of classification. really not all that's separate. then connect in different ways. that crosses boundaries. actually happened, it's just man. probably never gonna forget. when I'm at home, there's just so socialization coming up, just so our neighbors had an RV. but I'm never gonna be in an RV. traveling the country in one. I heard so many stories. just another one of those things man things just aren't out of reach. is the White House is there. that said you won the lottery, be here Monday morning. the students in the school, and they will feel as a human being. I expected to come out with already. the program you just watched. the Roadtrip Nation crew another way to share their experience. chase the bread, and you can tread. instead, you colonize your mind and whatever it is you're going through. make decisions based off of only you. I leaped I swear, that I only flew. by sharing the lessons you've learned. us what you love to do. 

In New Orleans, the team experiences the undeterred spirit of the city when they speak to a chef, a graphic designer, a chimp veterinarian, and an alligator wrestler. Later, in D.C., they interview Ben Drexler, who left the non-profit sector to become a poi (fire) spinner. Ben reflects on his bold career transition and urges the road-trippers to find their own burning passions.

Rattle the Cage

(Syrena) [Louisiana Accent] I'ma Syrena Johnson, Orleans. ended up here? Liberty's Kitchen, job skills through cooking. fast food to fine dining. cooking was what I wanted to do myself in cooking spaces kitchen as a young kid, it always was in me it until later. you come from? struggles that come with it? Uptown New Orleans, read about it, grimiest places out here, the crime takes place little kids went to. places for where I came from. stay out on the streets. school so I mean, now compared, like, I want, bit about it. like the ultimate goal, dream, you know? having my own restaurant. anything New Orleans. trying to promote. stars or nothing like that, come to eat at my place I'm going to cook, to be clean, like, about like feeding yourself, all it's about for me. because I'm progressin', future. I'll figure it out.' make this happen. own future. is fruitful of everything; for me. I love to serve people, I give them something lot of people who say like, you don't want to do it just be your passion," myself doing anything else. and everything, being nowhere else. dat, I always was like, 'Well, hard work pays,' bull, that's bologna,' because I been working hard and it hasn't paid off yet,' soon for me to say that that, things just took off. think that it can't happen, don't have it in you, that it can't happen went to culinary school said I was going to do. out there and get it. don't be afraid to try again. never know. going to happen. 

Goals

Hard Work

Simplicity

Interview

I'm Serena Johnson, an aspiring chef here in New Orleans. I could of did so many things, places from where I came from. instead of stay out in the streets, I love to serve people. give them something that I cooked. if you enjoy doing it then it should just be your passion. myself doing anything else. they wouldn't even take me. hard work pays. baloney, hard work don't pay cuz I've long time and it hasn't paid off yet. I said that things just took off. don't think that it can't happen. don't be shy, don't be timid. get out there and get it. 

Choices

Syrena Johnson Highlight

You're so positive about your journey, just being yeah, I need that experience. played into your life? ready to get experience, that's crazy. like the program that we have now, through here all the time. them never worked a job before, and here and we give them job training and, through the kitchen and, it's hard having like this, but I didn't want to fail. of failure so I just couldn't get it. all those little things to get to here. everything was well worth it. 

Failure

Fear

Perseverance

Didn't Want To Fail

How are you developing your leadership skills? with student, whether it's just like learning how to talk to people and then, learn it here with everybody who too, they're still on my age levels. I'm learning just through the work. 

Experience

Leadership Through Work

What's your approach to sort of working out all the things you need who does the invoices and I could sit with you one day and see what's going on? I don't have anything like that. works and to getting it done but this, and that and the things that I wanna do. >> It might be. hey maybe I need a burrito joint. just like okay, I got to do that. 

I Have To Do That

You talked about that it was a struggle sometimes staying focused on your path. significant along your journey? of work as much or something like that. the bigger picture at the end of the day. off on the things that I want to do then about all those things and sometimes I had to go to sleep early, or go to work. of the day, everything paid off. 

Struggle

It Paid Off

Do you have any days with thoughts about making it on your own in the future? >> I mean, I'm just scared of failing. one uncooked thing out. it pushes me to make myself even better. 

Doubt

Scared of Failing

I thought for a long time that I always was like, man I work so hard and well hard work pays. that's bull, that's baloney. working hard for this very long time. I said that things just took off. because anything could happen. I went to culinary school and said I was going to. get out there and get it. don't be afraid to try again. never know what's gonna happen. 

Syrena Johnson

Chef

Videos

Syrena Johnson

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Entrepreneurship

Food

Learning / Being Challenged

Skills & Qualities Beyond School

Advice for Getting Started

Recommended Education

My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Myself:

Challenges I Overcame

Gangs / Violence

Interviewed By

Jump Again