Hello, I am Lanh.
"When I shared my dream, many opposed. They believed that being a chef was too hard and distressing for a girl."
My Story
"Growing up in A Luoi, a poor district in the Thua Thien Hue province, I was always surrounded by nature's purity and a slow-paced life. I was fortunate, I had both my parents and grandparents. But life wasn't easy, my grandparents were old and frail, my mother had severe arthritis, so she stayed at home running a small grocery store, and my father was the backbone, supporting us amidst all the struggles.
As the eldest, I knew I had responsibilities. So, I started helping my parents early on, making and selling homemade cakes and working as a delivery person for shops. From that time, a dream sprouted in my heart - to become a professional chef and pull my family out of our tough circumstances.
When I shared my dream, many opposed. They believed that being a chef was too hard and distressing for a girl. But my love for the kitchen couldn't be quenched. When my high school teacher introduced REACH, I knew I had found my path to becoming a chef. I had just finished my high school exam, and I was ready.
At REACH, I discovered my potential. For the first time, I got to handle professional kitchen tools, work with fresh ingredients, and create dishes after lots of hard work. Yes, it wasn't easy for a girl to be a chef, but I held on to my teacher's words, "You have to work hard before you can enjoy the rewards."
That's why, despite the long distance, I persistently attended my cooking classes every day. Now, having graduated from REACH's cooking course, I am fulfilling my dream. I have been hired as a chef at Taste Vietnam restaurant in Hoi An, Quang Nam province. I specialize in Cold Kitchen dishes like salads, sandwiches, pizzas, burgers, etc.
My salary may not be very high, but it's enough to help my family. As I said, "Before studying at REACH, my parents struggled to support my education. Now, I have a stable job and am happy to help them."
I'm so thankful to REACH for giving me the opportunity to live my dream and earn a stable income. I hope they continue to develop more courses to help others like me have a better future.