It was a grey Thursday morning when I met with Becca Bingham for an interview; I had met with Becca the week before as well, and now she had graced me with a second interview. After congratulations on her tremendous performance in the San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef cooking contest, I felt it was only necessary to educate, not only myself, but the rest of the Paul Smith’s Community, on how Becca had become the chef that she is today.
Cooking, according to Becca, had always been a childhood fascination for her. Even when very young she devoured the contents of magazines such as Bon Appetit. But magazines were not the spark which ignited the fire clearly visible in her eyes when she spoke of her craft.
Growing up 20 minutes outside Syracuse, Becca was surrounded by family members. Her grandmother was the most prominent in the development of her passion for the culinary arts. Using an Irish soda bread recipe passed down by her great great grandmother, the two produced a delicious, traditional meal, which elicited warm and smiling faces from their victims. The joy that appeared on the faces of their family, as they ate the food of their heritage, was very inspiring. Bringin joy to people is what motivates Becca to this day.
As a child of two hard-working parents, Becca Bingham had the opportunity to cook up scrumptious meals for her family. It is possible that so much interaction with a caring and supportive family is what led her here; Paul Smith’s college is a small community complete with tight-knit groups, a sense of familiarity between you and your professors, and a hands on unique only to this school. Becca explained several times during the interview, as to how proud she was to be representing Paul Smith’s College. When I asked her what those three words, Paul Smith’s College, meant to her, she said, “ when I think of Paul Smith’s College, I think of family and connections transforming me into, not only a young culinarian, but also the young individual I am today.”
As Becca works on her final semester here (leading to the completion of a four-year baking major, a two-year culinary major, and a business minor), and she now feels more relaxed, since returning from the Chef Challenge in New York City. She achieved her goal of perfectly preparing poached salmon, and experienced the judges marveling at her dish. She told her she’d done a great job, even agreeing on the fact that they could see it on their own restaurants’ menus. Becca’s appreciation for the quality of her produce, and her attention to detail, will see her into a bright future. It would not be a stretch to see her dishes on the cover of the magazines she salivated over as a kid, but wherever her journey takes her, she will never forget the amazing friends she calls family, here at Paul Smith’s College.
Kevin Shea
Environmental Studies Major and Environmental Communications Minor
19 years old
Born in Brussels, Belgium
Raised in West Hartford, Connecticut
