For culinary student Ece Kilicaslan, ‘class’ looks different than it might to other students. Now in her second year in the Apicus International School of Hospitality at The American University of Florence (AUF), Kilicaslan’s weekdays, and even some Saturdays, are spent in the kitchen, from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. When most students are taking notes in lecture classes, Kilicaslan is cooking meals, coming up with new dishes, and preparing for her future in the rigorous culinary industry.

Kilicaslan’s daily routine is a testament to the physical and mental demands of culinary training. “I usually wake up at 6:00, get ready, and stretch,” she explains. “Working in a kitchen is really hard on your body, and if I don’t stretch, I’ll have aches everywhere.” Once she arrives at Fedora, the school's pastry shop, she starts her morning with a coffee—sometimes paired with a croissant—before heading into the kitchen around 8:30 or 9:00 a.m.

Before spending her day working and running around between Fedora’s 2 walk-in pantries and 7 kitchens, she begins with mise en place, the preparational work of laying out ingredients in their correct measurements, and the proper equipment, that ensures a smooth service. “If you’re in the prep kitchen, you’ll do big quantities of ingredients for everything, plus the staff meal,” she says. Despite the repetitive nature of preparation work, Kilicaslan says she has found a lot of excitement and growth in the process, and that every day there is something new to learn.

While balancing her studies and hands-on kitchen experience, she’s also preparing for her future in the industry. “After this, I'd like to work in a Michelin-star restaurant in Turkey, then maybe open up my own restaurant,” she shares. Kilicaslan also credits her growth to the mentorship of her instructors, particularly Chef Andrea Trapani, Apicius’ General Manager and Executive Chef. “Andrea is one of the greatest chefs we have here. He’s not like a boss—he approaches everything like a teacher,” shares Kilicaslan. 

One challenge Kilicaslan encountered in the industry was its male-dominated nature. “I didn’t know it would be this hard. But I love it,” she says. She works alongside other students, but she and a few others are the only women in the kitchen. This reality only strengthens her resolve, drawing inspiration from the Turkish TV series she watched as a child, which inspired her to be a chef.

Beyond the techniques and discipline, what fuels Kilicaslan’s love for cooking is the creative process itself. “When I’m thinking about creating a dish, my mind imagines a plate, all the colors and flavors. When I’ve got all the ingredients that I want, I see the picture I’ve imagined on the plate,” she describes. This ability to turn imagination into reality is what makes the culinary arts so special to her.

As Kilicaslan continues to perfect her craft in Florence, she remains steadfast in her ambitions. AUF has pushed her to pursue her dream of making a name for herself in the world of fine dining, paving the way for future female chefs who share the same selfless passion for creating not only dishes, but memories for others.