Getting to know: Crystal Lachney

Crystal Lachney is a senior culinary student from Alexandria. Over the summer she
participated in a program in which 50 students from 12 different countries took a 14 week
course on different classical French preparations. Each week, the students learned about a
different element. For example, one week they learned about pastries, then bread, then beef
and so on. At the end of the week, the students were graded on their progress. Crystal received
top marks each week, earning her a spot at the top of her class with a very high cumulative
score. This is especially outstanding because there were only five participants from the United
States!

As far as future plans go, Crystal is aiming to become an executive chef. She said, “I
really like being in the restaurant environment rather than a country club or a hotel. I want to
be in a restaurant on a line.”

Crystal also mentioned that in the culinary field, “it takes a lot of work to get there. You
have to work in a lot of kitchens and get a lot of experience under your belt. It’s all about
working your way up in the kitchens. The degree doesn’t really help with that. It just kind of
gives you some background and helps you get on your feet once you enter the real world.” Her
ambitions are big, and she knows she has a long way to go before she gets there, but judging
from her success so far, Crystal is definitely on the right track!