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Women in WACS
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The Women in WACS initiative strives to increase visibility of women chefs worldwide as well as supporting them in their efforts to advance their careers while balancing work and family. Women in WACS also seeks to establish a national/ international network whose purpose is to mentor, recruit, and retain female membership in Chefs organizations.
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CARMELA DRAGOMIR
April 2012
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Home Town/Country: Campina, Prahova County, ROMANIA
- What kind of formal education do you have (include apprenticeships)?
- EDUCATION
After my gymnasium I graduated one of the famos high-scool in Campina, “Nicolae Grigorescu”. The high-school was one of the most important step for my life.
- QUALIFICATIONS:
With my theoretical high-school the future was not as great as I taught, so I graduated a training program for Confectioner and Pastry chef in 1995 at National Institute for Training and Management in Tourism, former school of Romanian Ministry of Tourism. My first trainee was, Emilia Motaianu – one of the best pastry chef that time.
After my graduation, since the program was very good I was able to open for a person a new pastry-shop – Taipan. The shop was a success, so in 1996 I decided to open my own shop – which was the second biggest step in my life! I started with 2 employers…now, after 15 years I run a business with 100 workers…my colleagues, actually, because managing is one thing but working is something…still very special for me!
In 15 years I attended several training programs, since I was interested not only to have a good business but also to take care of my personal development. And not only mine, since I take care also of my ladies working with me, so I offered them the same education I had! A short list of my personal trainings”
- Germany, – 2001 – 2 stages “Handmade art” – marzipan, sugar and chocolate decoration, praline and petit-fours
- Belgium – Bruxelles 9 programs with chocolate technics and decorations
- Barcelona – Ramon Morato – praline
- France – 4 stagies with Stefan Klein – “Art of Sugar”
- What made you decide to enter the culinary profession?
My grandmother was my first model. She was the “pastry of village”, making all the pastry for all the important moments of village like weddings, private parties. In our village (Provita - Prahova county) she was respected as much as the priest was! I grow with morning cakes and vanilla bean fragrance in my skin! I was 5 years old when I did my first cake, kind of “gauffre” cooked in special moulds and filled with different fillings and called “peaches”. At 10 I was in charge with filling all the wedding cakes and since I was more accurate than my grandmother I was “promoted” with decorations too! This childhood memories lead me to choose this career!
- Culinary childhood memories (e.g. Who did the cooking at home? Did you watch or participate? Favorite dishes that you still occasionally prepare?)
My mother was tailor, my grandmother pastry so, I grow with precision, good taste and respect for “hand-made” job!
- At what age did you first enter the food service industry? What was your first job?
I was 18th years old when I got my first job in a pastry-shop “Violeta”, but not as a pastry but as a clerk! I was very young and full of energy, so, from time to time I was spending my free time in the pastry lab, trying to help the workers…so I did my first suggestions…and starting with this point the owner asked me to work in the lab. One years later the pastry-shop multiplied 10 times the revenue…so, I decided to fallow a special designed program for adult’s training at National Institute for Training and Management in Tourism, former school of Romanian Ministry of Tourism. One years after I started my own business…since all the pastry-shops from my hometown offered me a well paid job! I said: it’s my time now, I’m not afraid, even I was so young!
- What were important stepping stones to reach your current position?
So, with my own money and a bank credit I started my first laboratory, with 2 workers and no more than 20 items. Nowadays my lab has 100 workers and more than 400 daily items in the list and also specialities.
- Did you or do you have a mentor? (Who is that person? How has s/he helped you?)
My former instructor, Mrs. Emilia Motaianu was a very good trainer and passioned pastry-chef. I can say she was my mentor. Of course, I had also some other persons around my who changed my life in a good way! One of this person is my friend, Maria Popa, executive chef and trainer, who told me first time to join a team for an international competition: Mediteranean Challenge Cyprus! While doing our rehearsal I met Mr. Wynand Vogel who gave me precious information about “petit-four”, “innovative dessert”, “festive cake” and “show-piece” for table! For me…all this words were “Chinese” but I followed all the advices and our team managed to win Bronze medals for Hot Kitchen and Cold Buffet. Starting with this competition I won all the national competitions for pastry and I was invited in the National team for IKA in 2008.
- What, if any, problems did you encounter in your career?
“There is no peace under the olive-trees” I often use to say…working with people is one of the great problems I encounter in my career, starting with employees and ending with clients!
- What, if any, was the greatest obstacle? Describe.
This year I had a real nightmare with my career: the local sanitary inspectors closed one of my pastry-shop without any legal support…just because I had the gut to have a profitable business during an economic crisis. The “problem” wasn’t real, I lost a lot of money…but, since the “story” is more interested than the “truth”, my image was devastated…
- How did you overcome that hurdle?
I was devastated…but my 22nd years old daughter sufferd more, so I said to myself “I don’t give up!”
Recovering the money lost is an issue…but I think most important was to recover the customer’s trust! I started again the continuous work and…now I can say it was my greatest obstacle in my life!
- What is the male/female ratio in your current job?
I run a business with 100 women! There is no gender discrimination in this field, but unfortunately no man applied to my job recruitment! Actually, not even when I was student in pastry class I had only women-mate!
- Describe your current work conditions (including average hours per day spent on the job; do you work weekends/holidays? do you have changing shifts?)
Most of my working time is allocated to the clients! They all wants to take care of their special needs…since I had patience and I offer many proposal until the client is happy! Than, I work with my employees…since I agree that the self-model will help the team to be together! Actually, usually I dinne out with some of my employees. I care about them and their personal and professional development! My husband is very proud of me and he is very often telling “he raised me in a good way”!
If it is a need, I work also during weekends…there is no rule in this field, mainly when you run your business! My work day is around 8 hours…but sometimes are different situation and last minute demand…so, if you don’t want to disappoint the client you have to make an effort too!
- Are you married or in a partnership?
Yes, I am married with a beautiful and understandable husband (who tells me every day that there are no husband who can accept that long working days). We were 20 years old when we get married…and our love story is still!
- Do you have children? What age are they?
Yes, I have a 22nd years old daughter, Ioana, student at Transilvania University - “Food control and expertise”. I’m very proud of her: she is sometimes more wise than me, she takes care of some aspects of my business and she “run” next to me, as a true mate!
- How did/do you balance child rearing and your career?
I was nearly all alone! My husband helped me with some activities..but I can say I raised my daughter alone! When she started the gymnasium I started my business…and I was lucky to have a very good child! My husband and I we worked in shifts…so she was practically all the time with one of us, or when needed with my neighbor.
- Did/do you have support (from your husband, partner, family, network of friends) while you raise/d your child/ren? Describe the kind of support.
Time runs very fast when busy: she was busy with school, we were busy with our business…we were lucky to have a such a wonderful child!
- What is your advice to young women entering your specific field?
My truly advice is to love this profession! To love and to share! Sometimes there are difficult moments…it there is love you can pass on! One of my favorite writer is Marin Preda and in one of his novel he said: if there is no love, there is nothing! I totally agree with!
- What are your interests outside the culinary field?
I love to drive! I’m a good driver and from time to time I love to race with male drivers…it’s very funny when they lose…but this is life!
- Do you manage to integrate those interests in your life?
I do have to manage since sometimes I have to meet one of my client 400 km far from my place…Internet is not a solution when people ask you for the first time! After his needs are fully satisfied…there is Internet, MMS, FB…
- What are personal and professional interests that you would like to pursue within the next 5 years?
For the next 5 years I dream to have my own pastry school! I have so many things to share and I think is our mission to share our passion for young people! Pastry is an art of shapes, colors and taste! If I’ll share all my knowledge I’ll be the happiest person on Earth!
- In your opinion, does the foodservice industry address problems specific to women adequately?
Unfortunately, there is some arrogance from male pastry…but, again, when I graduated the program with Stefan Klein in France I was the only students female from 14 who reached the highest recognition…In this profession there is no gender! It’s just a profession! And we have to be good and competitive! Either we are male or female!
- How could the foodservice industry/your national chefs’ association/WACS better address such problems?
I think it’s a matter of time! If as female professional don’t hide behind a male professional you may have success! WACS should encourage the women participation in culinary endorsed competition giving free accommodation not only to national team but also for regional teams. We were last year at Luxembourg the only female team …and except Jerry Kriegel and some FB friends…nobody noticed that! Thank you in advance!
