Man pursues culinary dreams

Editor’s Note: Where are they now? is a regular feature that will catch up with Franklin County natives who may be pursuing opportunites outside of the area.

Many people have heard that it’s never too late to realize your dreams or to make a change in your life, but Jason Sanders is living proof that no matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, it’s never too late to make a fresh start.

The 40-year-old Franklin County resident had worked several different kinds of jobs throughout his life, but he finally realized that he wanted more for himself and for his family.

“I was working at the chicken plant when I realized that the job I had wasn’t going to get me anywhere; it wouldn’t help me reach any of my goals,” Sanders said. “It wasn’t a career choice. It was just a job, and I knew I needed to do something about that.”

Sanders said three years ago he was sitting at home watching TV late one night when he saw a commercial for Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts that caught his attention.

“I had worked at places like Outback, Chili’s and Cracker Barrel and knew that I could have a future in the culinary industry,” Sanders said. “It was something I liked to do and I knew that it would be a good career.”

After seeing the commercial, Sanders called the college to get information about their culinary program in Orlando, but ended up backing out.

After three years putting off school for different reasons, Sanders finally decided to call the school back.

“I called the college in March this year and was getting things in order to go when the tornado hit and there was a chance for me to make some fast money working with FEMA,” he said. “I decided to go for the fast money but my phone didn’t let calls through for a few days and I missed the call about the FEMA job. I knew God had pulled a fast one on me and that I should just stop making excuses and go to school.”

Sanders was officially accepted at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Orlando, Fla., and he said he couldn’t be happier with the decision he made.

“We are learning so many things down here that will help me better myself in the kitchen and become a great chef some day,” he said. “Being here at school is exciting and I really like it.”

The nine-month program will be followed by a three-month extern program where Sanders will study directly with a top-rated chef and learn techniques from first-hand, hands-on experience.

“There are some great chefs here in Orlando, and I think when I finish the program, I’d like to stay here because the job opportunities would be better,” Sanders said. “When you put your mind to it, there’s no telling what you can do.”

Sanders said his main goal for making a change in his life is his family, who has been supportive and influential in his career choice.

“I started cooking when I was young and my mother would get me and my brothers in the kitchen and we each had a night to cook,” he said. “Ever since then I’ve cooked for my family at barbecues and events and I just learned to love it.”

Sanders said his mother, Florence Randolph, and other family members including his “MeMaw” Mary Sanders, Armand and Lehi White, Dowin White, Myron and Florence Smith and Patricia Hill have all supported his career choice.

Two of his biggest supporters, however, have been his children, Amber Sanders and McKinley Rocha.

“My kids are the main reason I wanted to do something more with my life,” Sanders said. “Because of this experience, I see what they need to do and I know the importance of going to school and having a career.

“When my daughter was starting her first day of high school and my son was starting his first day of middle school, I was starting my first day of culinary school, so we’re doing this together.”

Once he has established his culinary career, Sanders said he hopes to come back to the area and give back to the community through a culinary camp.

“I want kids to know there’s a whole big world out there and they can do whatever they want to do,” he said. “I was one of those people that used to make excuses, but there is no excuse to keep you from being all you can be.

“It doesn’t matter what your parents did, what you’ve done in the past, or how hard life may have been. The only excuse you can have is just if you don’t want to make a change.

“If you want to make a change, the end of the life you used to have is the beginning of a new life. You just have to decide to do it.”