Deja Felder is a dedicated and ambitious young entrepreneur who already runs her own small bakery business. Her passion for cooking and baking stems from her family, particularly her mother, aunt, and cousins, who often came together to create memorable holiday meals. She enjoys working with a variety of cuisines, from soul food to international dishes like butter chicken and sushi bakes. These early experiences ignited her love for the kitchen and inspired her to pursue a career in the culinary arts. Deja aspires  to own her own restaurant, and she views this program as an invaluable opportunity to gain professional experience and refine her skills. With her favorite cuisine being soul food Sprouts placed her at bay area staple Burdell where she got to get into the nitty gritty with Chef Geoff Davis 

During her time in the program, Deja has embraced new challenges, such as shucking beans, making mirepoix, and pulling meat off the bones for duck confit. One of her favorite skills has been icing cakes, which has helped her improve her precision and artistry. Working closely with Chef Erin and Chef Geoff, she has honed her knife skills and learned safer techniques to avoid injuries. During her time at Burdell she really liked learning about how chefs enhance flavors on dishes that she had been cooking for years with her family, and she hopes to incorporate those techniques into her own creations. During her time she reflected mostly fondly of when she learned how to make butter chicken with Chef Erin. It was a two day process but according to Deja it was worth the wait and the hard work because the dish was absolutely delicious. 

Deja’s experience has also been transformative on a personal level. She is proud of stepping out of her shell and building connections with the chefs and her peers. Learning time management and financial planning has helped her feel more confident in pursuing her long-term goals. After her experience at Burdel she wants to learn more about baking and perfecting pastries. Outside of the kitchen, Deja enjoys rhinestone art and reading horror, thriller, and romance novels. Her ability to balance her business, academic responsibilities, and her culinary training highlights her strong work ethic and determination. She’s grateful for the opportunity to enhance her culinary skills, develop her palate, and solidify her aspirations of opening a successful restaurant that combines her love for baking and soul food

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