By Mariusz Surowka
The kitchen counter is covered in flour. The smell of desserts lingers in the air, like fresh apple pie and plum cake, a scent so sweet that you get a sugar rush. Some are store-bought yet still delicious; others are old family recipes passed on. Overhead cabinets are filled with all kinds of cooking utensils and spices. I remember baking my favorite desserts, apple pancakes, and babka, with my grandma and cousins jumping in to help. This helped spark my love and passion for baking.
I began baking on my own at the age of 14. Before that, I used to help my grandma with small tasks like mixing batter or cracking eggs into the bowl. I’ve been baking at least one dessert at the start of every week: brownies or vanilla cupcakes. If I could, I would bake almost every day, but none of my family members enjoy eating sweets. I’ve learned to bake many desserts, but I continue trying to perfect them. My favorite dessert that I’ve learned to create is banana bread. I was very skeptical at first about whether it would taste good because I hate anything with bananas. But once I made it, even though it didn’t come out perfect the first time, it still tasted delicious. It was so good that my mom liked it, although she hates anything banana flavored as well.
I’ve learned that I don’t only have a passion for baking, but I have a passion for every aspect of the culinary arts. My love for cooking comes from my dad and mom. I’ve always liked watching my mom cook in the kitchen, whether it was something quick or a dish that took hours. Even though she doesn’t enjoy cooking, she still puts her love into cooking for us. I had the opportunity to cook dinner a lot more during the summer, especially when my mom was at work, and she would let me make whatever I wanted. My favorite dishes that I had made over the summer were stuffed-shelled pasta and Mongolian beef with white rice.
(Photo: Mariusz Surowka)
My dad, on the other hand, is my inspiration because he’s a professional chef. When I was younger and used to go to my dad’s friends’ parties, they would always speak highly about him and how excellent a cook he was. I’ve always admired my dad’s accomplishments throughout his career, inspiring me to work hard and accomplish the same. Beyond all his achievements, I have found all the places he worked at amazing, especially when he worked at Tavern On the Green and The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, which are well-known. All these accomplishments and memories help me form my own goals for the future. I hope to achieve the same level of success and work at renowned restaurants.
With all I’ve learned from my grandma and the people in my life, I want to pursue being a pastry chef and owning a small bakery somewhere, maybe in Manhattan. But before that, I want to go to a bakery school and get all the necessary training to be good. Once I do that, I want to visit the most known bakeries like Pierre Herm in Paris and Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York. I want to earn rewards and achievements from my many creations and be well-known.
Mariusz Surowka is currently enrolled in the Coop Tech Culinary Program, where he learns new recipes and kitchen techniques daily. Surowka’s favorite dish to make is a chicken twist on miso cod.
