The Santa Fe Community College's culinary-arts degree program has opened doors for many students, providing integral skills needed for an oftentimes cutthroat profession. Personal inspiration and behind-the-scenes troubleshooting tips from lead instructor Chef Michelle "Mica" Roetzer continue to inspire students well into their culinary careers.

Aurora Fernandez, a sophomore in the Associate of Applied Science program in culinary arts, will graduate in the fall, but she is already working in the restaurant field.

"I love food, and I love to eat and be creative with what I make," Fernandez said. She has a lot of food allergies, so Fernandez enjoys building things from scratch rather than consuming food that has been overly processed. "I want to celebrate the construction of food, rather than its deconstruction," she said.

Fernandez, originally from Albuquerque, has lived in Santa Fe for 10 years. She works at downtown Santa Fe's Galisteo Bistro, putting into practice what she has learned at SFCC.

"The owners are great and the restaurant is run very well," she said.

But that doesn't mean Fernandez has had it easy in this competitive field. "It's a lot of work for not much pay (at first), and it's hard to get into a prime position when you're just beginning," she said.

After graduation, Fernandez plans to transfer to The University of New Mexico to pursue other academic studies, but she said she will remain in the culinary trade for the foreseeable future. "Having this degree will allow me to cook wherever I go," she said.

Fernandez will always be grateful to Roetzer for her training at SFCC.

"Chef Mica is very influential to us," she said. "She always has a way to make you smile and feel good about yourself, and we learn from her experience so we don't have to go through the same things ourselves."

Roetzer moved to Santa Fe in 2003, bringing with her 26 years of experience. She has prepared dishes for former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton; Al Gore; and former Mexican President Vicente Fox, among others. She is also a political science student at New Mexico Highlands University.

"She helps us learn how to manage ourselves, too," said Jules Lujan, a sophomore in the AAS culinary program. "Chef Mica provides us with life lessons she has picked up in the industry."

Originally from Taos Pueblo, Lujan has lived in Santa Fe since 2004. Recruited from Chocolate Maven a little over a year ago, he now works as a line cook and pastry chef at 315 Restaurant & Wine Bar.

"A lot of classes taught at SFCC have carried over to my experiences at 315," Lujan said. "Purchasing and management classes have been particularly eye-opening."

In addition to SFCC staff, "I really owe thanks to my parents for putting me through culinary school," he said.

Jessica Quintana, originally from Pojoaque, will be finishing the AAS culinary program in May. She has worked at Amavi for five months as a three-station line cook: sauté, grill and "middle." Before working at Amavi, Quintana worked at The Old House at Eldorado Hotel & Spa.

"I learned the basics at SFCC — the crucial building blocks," said Quintana. "You don't just step into a restaurant without any experience," she added. As for other students focused on their culinary studies but not working in the profession, Quintana said their lives can be very different.

"For those of us who go to school and work full-time, you eventually hit a point when you are ultimately responsible for both your career and your education, and you have to make the two work together," she said.

Quintana said that Roetzer, Amavi and The Old House have been the biggest inspirations for her. "The chefs expect you to work hard, but they give you the opportunity to improve as well," she said. Support from Quintana's family throughout her culinary journey has also been crucial.

Lisa Gosper-Espinosa, a December 2010 graduate who earned the AAS degree in culinary arts, is fulfilling her dream full-time at Dulce bakery on Don Diego Avenue, doing just about everything from baking to making pastries and cakes. Gosper-Espinosa, a former English TRiO instructor at SFCC, moved to Santa Fe in 2006 after growing up in a military family in Germany and the Eastern U.S. She holds a master's degree in English and taught in the field for 12 years. In fact, it was during her time teaching at SFCC that Gosper-Espinosa decided to make the switch to her dream career.

"I would walk by (the kitchen classroom) every day and think, 'That looks fun,' " she said. She took culinary classes strictly for fun — until they conflicted with her work schedule. "So I made the decision to quit teaching," she said.

"I have always wanted to work in a bakery," said Gosper-Espinosa, whose Italian family has owned and operated bakeries in upstate New York for 80 years. You could say Gosper-Espinosa's dream runs thick in her blood, and the culinary program at SFCC helped her to solidify her career choice.

"I can't say enough about the culinary program at SFCC," she said. "The chefs there were huge inspirations to me; I got my job because of how they prepared me, and there was nothing I wasn't prepared for, even though I couldn't do things perfectly at first."