What were you doing before you came to school?
I came to New York to work in theater, and I made the decision to go to culinary school after 9/11.

Why was attending culinary school important to you?
I had friends that left New York and didn’t come back after 9/11 out of fear. Cooking was something I always focused on when I was younger. I would go home from school and watch PBS cooking shows instead of cartoons. After 9/11 theater went downhill but people were still going to eat. It just seemed like a secure path to start on.

How did you decide to pay for your education?
I took out a loan. I knew from previous educational experiences that I needed to pay off the interest that was going to accumulate while I was there. I didn’t want to graduate, and then have all my money go towards paying off that interest. So I paid whatever I could throughout the school term. It was the best thing I could have done on earth. I didn’t do any stages or trails through school—I waitressed the entire time. I really wanted to work and make money, even if it wasn’t in a kitchen, so I could get the ball rolling paying off my debt.

How did you learn about your loan options? And why did they work for you?
I probably went in for two meetings with my financial aid adviser at The International Culinary Center, and they gave me all my loan options. I picked one that would have the least amount of penalties. They give you so many options. And if you have enough time to do the research, there are a lot of scholarships out there.

What was most helpful to you in trying to figure out the financial end of gaining your education?
Advice from my parents. They don’t like to have any bills hanging over their heads. And all the loan websites also have calculators on what you need to do, and I used all those tools.

How have you managed your loans since you’ve graduated?
I paid off my loan in exactly five years, which was my goal. I didn’t have a life for a few years. I literally worked and paid. I made that sacrifice. It was just discipline.

What advice do you have for prospective students who are exploring ways to finance their education?
I think most importantly, they need to set realistic goals and stick to them. I think when people graduate and aren’t making a lot of money, it’s really easy to defer, defer, defer. You don’t want to have loans hanging over your head. Even if you don’t live the most glamorous life right off the bat, you’ll thank yourself so much in five years if you pay that off. It will be the biggest weight off your shoulders. I have friends who are still struggling with $20-$30,000 loans, and I’m free.

How long have you been out of school? Where are you in your career now?
I graduated in 2003, worked as an intern at Saveur magazine, and became the test kitchen director, where we test every recipe in the magazine anywhere from three to 20 times!