At the age of six, Makayla McHugh already knew her way around a kitchen. Baking became her unique skill set until she began cooking as well. These days, she is on a palate-pleasing path, catering for private events while studying culinary arts at university.
For her most recent event, McHugh’s menu rang to the tasty tune of an Italian meets French infused four-course menu. “I did four courses for the menu so that my guests wouldn’t become too hungry in-between courses, and this would give me enough time to get everything done,” she told Food.
The dishes ranged from balsamic bruschetta for the hors d’oeuvres segment; potato and leek soup with garlic croutons as the appetiser; and the sautéed shrimp with pumpkin risotto and lemon dill beurre blanc starred the show as the entrée.
As for the sweet ending, she stayed on course with one of her main ingredients, baking a lemon cake with vanilla bean buttercream.
“These are just some of the dishes I’ve learned to make in school so far,” she said, adding, “I received many positive comments from the guests. I even had to [make] extra hors d’oeuvres and soup because the guests loved them that much. The balsamic glaze and the garlic croutons were a hit. I even had one guest eating the croutons like they were her favourite snack. Everyone seemed to really enjoy their meals and I’m really happy I was able to provide an experience that they both loved and were proud of,” McHugh, who goes by the moniker Chef Kayla, highlighted.
A HAPPY NOTE
Anyone who knows McHugh is well aware of the loving relationship she has with food. She considers herself one of the biggest foodies, one who enjoys eating and isn’t shy about communicating openly when a dish or meal ends on a happy note.
In June 2020, when she began determining what her career choice would be, her first love immediately came to mind. “I had always loved to cook, but it was at that point that I really started contemplating the idea of venturing into the culinary world. Cooking is my biggest source of joy. That’s when I realised that I wanted my future to be centred around the culinary arts.”
Studying within the field of gastronomy has enabled her to fire up an insatiable appetite for flavour discovery and efficiency as well as artistry and creativity.
“My relationship with food has only strengthened over the years and venturing into the culinary industry made me more open to trying things I would have avoided before. Cooking, for me, is about bringing people together, feeding them, and providing them with a positive experience that leaves them excited to try more. There’s no greater joy,” she said.
Currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in culinary arts and food and beverage industry management at Johnson & Wales University, the second-year student is gearing up to do her internship at Walt Disney World Resort as a culinary assistant on August 28.
“I’ll be working in one of their many kitchens for a few months. Many persons know that Disney’s food plays a big role in captivating people’s hearts and taste buds, and eating at the different parks is truly an experience. I’m excited that I’ll be one of the persons helping to create that experience while gaining skills and experience of my own in the industry,” she added.
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August 24, 2023 at 12:07PM
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Chef Makayla McHugh makes culinary dreams a tasty reality - Jamaica Gleaner
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