Recently, our proud alumna from the Culinary Arts program Hang Hoang visited us at our Sonia Gutierrez Campus. “I never thought I was able to go back and visit the school. I am so thankful to have attended Carlos Rosario School, where my success would have been incomplete without the friends, teachers I met and the things that I learned through my time there,” she said.

Born and raised in Hanoi, Vietnam, Hang Hoang moved to Washington, DC with her family in 2014 due to a job opportunity for her husband. A graduate from the Teachers’ training College in Hanoi, she had to find her place in America. Hang Hoang decided to improve her English language skills and find a potential career while balancing all the work of being a stay-at-home mom. Her friends encouraged her to enroll at the Carlos Rosario School.

Before she started, Hang wasn’t sure if she would be able to find the time to attend classes every day. Hang decided to make the leap and started taking ESL classes, she has been flourishing ever since. After finishing the ESL class level 8 taught by Rose Mary, our alumna started in the Culinary Arts program by taking the Baking and Fundamental cooking classes. Given Hang Hoang’s determination, she undoubtedly was on her way to finding success.

According to Hang, the best part of the program was learning “how to work professionally in the kitchen because the training program is very methodical.” In the baking class with chef Jason Kellogg, Hang learned all about baking theory. She learned how to bake all kinds of pastries from around the world. “The strict and professional classroom pushed me through all kinds of difficulties and trained me like I was a head chef in a real restaurant,” Hang said. Meanwhile, Cooking class opened her universe to different cuisines she had never tried before. “My husband and daughters were always surprised with new and different flavors that they had never tasted.”

In 2018, Hang and her husband returned to Vietnam. When the pandemic hit their home country, she fell back on her love of baking. Chef Hang had the opportunity to practice the techniques she learned at the Carlos Rosario School. She was able to create many different kinds of breads that had the most incredible crust with perfect crumb structure. There was only one problem – because of diabetes she couldn’t eat her creations. She struggled to bake healthy for herself.

Necessity is the mother of invention – Hang spent hours in her small apartment kitchen experimenting with sourdough and different kinds of nuts and seeds. As she gained more experience, she was able to introduce a new taste to the Vietnamese baking community. “I started to tell my friends on Facebook about my creation and everyone was so intrigued with this nutritious loaf of bread. Many of my family and friends were surprised by the pleasant taste of the sourdough and the healthy benefits of the nuts and seeds.”

Spreading like wildfire, Hang’s one of a kind creation took her on national TV and even in a magazine of a big household company in Vietnam. From the smallest positive review to big opportunities to talk about her journey and her pastries, Hang “can never thank the Carlos Rosario School enough for helping kickstart her baking journey.”

Hang Hoang thanks the Carlos Rosario School for giving her the tools and knowledge to become one of Vietnam’s most popular bread bakers. Her advice to the current students is to always push themselves to find their own places if they really love their job and their career.

Learn more about how to start your career in Culinary Arts today by clicking HERE!