A diploma makes a big difference in the kitchen.

Ahmad Mohammad fled to the Netherlands in 2012. He started working in an Asian/French restaurant to earn money. Then a friend told him about Summa's vocational chef training program. "Her advice changed my life. I want to become a great chef."

Before I came to the Netherlands, I didn't have a dream. What was I going to do with my life? Ultimately, I wanted to become a programmer; I was good with numbers. When I arrived in the Netherlands, I needed money, so becoming a programmer had to wait. To earn money, I started working in a restaurant in Eindhoven. That's where I discovered my love for cooking. When a friend told me about the training to become a self-employed chef (level 2), my life changed.

Diploma makes a difference

I'm now learning everything about food preparation and the hundreds of cooking techniques involved. All in one year. After that, I'll officially be a self-employed chef, with a diploma. It's amazing how one year can change my life. As a self-employed chef, I can easily find work after my training; there aren't many chefs in the Netherlands. I've noticed a huge difference between being a chef without a diploma and one with one. Especially if you have a level 3 or level 4 diploma, they want you everywhere. With the Summa diploma, I can prove that restaurants can trust me in the kitchen.

Future as a self-employed chef

What does my future hold? I'm far from finished learning. I'm currently working on level 2, but I'd like to pursue level 3 and maybe even level 4 afterward. That diploma will make it easier for me to get a good position in the kitchen. Thanks to the training, I'm currently a temporary sous chef at the restaurant where I work. If I reach level 3, I can become a permanent sous chef. That's the first step towards my dream: becoming a top chef.