Sally sees cooking as more than a way to nourish her body; she views it as a creative outlet. Her devotion to this craft started when she was younger, spending countless hours in the kitchen with her sister and mother, cooking for the family. Not only was she able to create while cooking, but she also loved the agency that came with learning to cook and being able to make what she craved. Wanting to expand her knowledge, she applied to Sprouts through Enterprise For Youth, a non-profit that “empowers under-resourced youth to be prepared for their professional future through transformative and paid internships.” After applying she was placed with Chef Timothy Humphrey at Ofena.

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Chef Tim quickly recognized Sally’s talents and had her progress from prepping vegetables to running the cold station by herself. As she spent more time there, she began to feel more confident and even started working at the cold app station independently. With the helpful guidance of Chef Tim and his sous chefs, along with the support of a previous intern, now permanently working in the kitchen, Sally thrived. She not only learned new cooking skills but also improved her palate, trying dishes such as gnocchi carbonara.Sally started to see the benefits of the program outside of the kitchen as well. She explained that because she had to be so organized in the kitchen, she began to become more organized in her personal life too. Sally also found herself cooking more at home, sharing her newfound skills with the people who inspired her in the first place.

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When she isn’t dedicating her time to the kitchen, she enjoys crocheting, specifically making characters from Studio Ghibli movies like Totoro from My Neighbor Totoro. After her internship, Sally plans to pursue a degree in optometry and hopes to stay in the Bay Area. She is excited about the future and looks forward to combining her passion for cooking with her professional aspirations, knowing that her culinary journey has only just begun.