Hello and good afternoon! Family, Friends, Friends who have become family, Students and faculty of CIL! My name is Marilyn Ontiveros and I am proud to be a current student (well, not now since I am here today with you, graduating, lol) and an alumnus of CULINARY INSTITUTE LENOTRE®.
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I first started school at CIL in 2015,I then graduated on March 16, 2018 with my first Associates degree in Culinary Arts. At the time I couldn’t go back to work as of yet because I had had a heart attack and heart surgery in April 2018,
so then I decided to come back in January of 2019 to get my second associates.
With the strength of my family and friends no matter how many times I wanted to give up, I couldn’t. Since I stuck with it and listened to the people who love me I am now a kitchen manager at NRG Stadium (catering to the suites) and the kitchen manager for a place called Dukes. I am now graduating from CULINARY INSTITUTE LENOTRE® again with my second associate’s degree, in Hospitality and Restaurant Management and am very proud of myself.
My grades have not always been what I have wanted them to be but I still succeeded because I am here with you today getting my degree. Whether you know it or not you have made your dreams come true with all of your hard work and perseverance, with all of your heart and pride because YOU took a chance. DO NOT let anyone tell you that you can’t do something or that you won’t succeed at it because YOU will. Go for that dream job, go for the life you know you deserve.
I am going to leave you with 3 of my favorite quotes and a Chef’s prayer that I found:
“The kitchen is my calming place when to so many it is a noisy and chaotic mess.”
Marilyn Ontiveros
**To me the kitchen is where my happiness is**
“There is no sincerer love than the love of food!”
George Bernard Shaw
**Always be as sincere as you can possibly be**
"Never stop dreaming of where your journey may take you!"
Andrew Zimmern
**Always take your journey to the next level**
What I do is not easy,
It is always measured,
It’s me,
it is the way I am,