THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 12, 1995 TAG: 9506130043
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALLISON T. WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SMITHFIELD LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
JESSICA JANKA WILL BE enjoying the delectable $39,000 omelet she cooked last May for the next four years.
The petite 17-year-old Smithfield High graduating senior blew her competitors out of the kitchen last month in a cooking contest sponsored by the Hampton Roads' chapter of the Careers in Culinary Arts Program.
The judges concluded Jessica cooked the tastiest omelet and poached-chicken dishes from among the entries prepared by 14 cooking finalists from Hampton Roads.
So the budding chef from Isle of Wight County was awarded a full, four-year, $39,000 scholarship to Johnson & Wales University, the Providence, R.I., cooking school that has five branches, including one in Norfolk.
For now, Jessica's career kettle is simmering quietly on a back burner.
But once she arrives at Johnson & Wales' Charleston, S.C., campus this fall, that kettle will move onto a hot, front burner where her career can cook.
Jessica plans to work toward a bachelor's degree in culinary arts, with an emphasis in baking and pastry arts.
In addition to cooking and baking classes, Jessica will take math, biology and English, said Mimm Runey, public relations director at Johnson & Wales' Charleston campus.
Although Jessica is most interested in baking, she will take other classes designed to teach her how to be a chef, including kitchen management, menu planning, making stocks and sauces, ice carving and meat cutting.
``Butchering the meat is going to be the worst,'' Jessica confided, her nose wrinkled in disgust.
``I'm not a vegetarian, but I can't stand having to touch all that raw meat, bones and fat. I guess I'll have to get used to it a little bit while I'm in school.''
Ever since she was a little girl, Jessica wanted to help her mother in the kitchen, recalled her sister, Maribeth Janka, 20, who is studying biology at James Madison University.
``I've always liked working with food,'' Jessica said. ``But I don't really remember when I decided I want to be a chef. Maybe when I was a junior in high school.''
On the advice of her high school guidance counselor, the college-bound junior enrolled in the culinary arts program at P.D. Pruden Vocational Center in Suffolk for her senior year. Pruden provides vocational training for students from Suffolk and Isle of Wight and Southampton counties.
``When my guidance counselor suggested I take the culinary arts class,'' Jessica said, ``it seemed like a good idea.''
It was a great idea, said Renny Parziale, her culinary arts teacher at Pruden.
After spending years cooking in restaurants all over the country, most recently at The Williamsburg Inn, Parziale traded his kitchen for a classroom.
It takes, Parziale said, just two basic things to succeed as a chef: teamwork and the ability to follow directions.
``To become a leader, you first have to be a follower,'' Parziale said. ``To become a great chef - or any other professional, for that matter - you first have to be able to take criticism and learn and grow from it.''
Jessica has proven she does that, he said.
``The only thing I had to teach Jessica was speed. I really didn't have to teach her any basic cooking skills.
``Jessica is motivated and, most importantly, intelligent. I think Jessica will make it.''
Jessica plans to spend the summer perfecting the dessert she is proudest of: chocolate chip cookies.
``My cookies are good, but they will never be as good as those my aunt makes. Both of us use the recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag.
``You'd be surprised at the little things that can make a big difference in the way things taste. For example, how the dough is mixed, the type of flour used and whether butter or margarine is used all impact the finished cookie.''
A Smithfield native, Jessica is only a little saddened at the prospect of graduating from the small high school where she has spent the last five years of her academic career. Smithfield High School's class of 1995 is scheduled to graduate at 7 p.m. Thursday in the school's new auditorium.
``Although I sometimes worry about the changes that will come with leaving home, I know things are going to be all right,'' Jessica said in an interview a week before her graduation.
``And I can't wait for June 15th!'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
Jessica Janka prepares a salad under the supervision of Renny
Parziale.
by CNB