Sharing the secrets of the chef

Sara Wilson

HE IS

A master of food who used a cup of knowledge and a dash of passion

to create a recipe for others to share.

A FAMILY TRADITION

Like the generations before him, Sevan Abdessian has made food his

life. But unlike his grandfather, who had his own ice cream shop in

Egypt, and his parents, who had their own catering company, Abdessian

has turned his passion for cooking into skills that he can share with

others.

Since April, Abdessian, 26, has been teaching the fundamentals of

cuisine at Laguna Culinary Arts. In a kitchen overlooking Laguna

Beach, he conducts a six-month Professional Chef Program, which

prepares students for an entry level position in the food industry.

The program ranges from bread and pastry preparation to knowledge of

sanitation procedures and kitchen management skills.

Although he sometimes helps his students with the preparation in

the kitchen, he leaves most of the cooking to them.

“I let them do most of the work because they need to make mistakes

and discover on their own,” he said.

A PASSION IGNITED

From the time that Abdessian was 9, food has played a central role

in his life. As a child, he was often involved in his parents’

catering business. He would do anything to help, from folding napkins

to chopping onions.

This ignited his passion for cooking. Years later, he attended the

California Culinary Academy of San Francisco. While a student, he was

like a sponge, eager to absorb everything that his instructors could

teach him. He also fully respected and appreciated cooking as an art

form.

“Food is life and it brings people together,” he said. “[The chef]

is the creator of that.”

Before becoming an instructor himself, he took his skills abroad

and worked as a chef de cuisine in Florence, Italy, and as a food and

beverage director in Capri, Italy.

A PINNACLE IN HIS CAREER

With such a colorful background shaping his life, Abdessian knows

that he belongs in the culinary world. There are some things that

have encouraged him along the way. As an instructor, it has been the

fire in his students’ eyes, for it is that fire that assures him he

has succeeded in nurturing passion within his students. In his

cooking, it is when others appreciate his food.

“I get my gratification when the plate comes back empty,”

Abdessian said.

Eventually, Abdessian envisions opening a French cafe with a

Middle Eastern twist. For now, he embraces his role as an instructor

and is looking forward to meeting the challenge of teaching the art

of cooking at Laguna Culinary Arts for years to come.

* SARA WILSON is an intern for the Coastline Pilot. She writes

features and gathers news information. She can be reached at

494-4321.