For this Culinary Student Reynolds is Home

For this Culinary Student

Reynolds is Home

Growing up, Keonne Lomax watched cooking shows. His hero: international chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay. Ramsay was tough, his expectations sky high. The chaos, the high energy, the drama—all sparked Keonne's curiosity.

Later, at Armstrong High School, Keonne took his first culinary arts class—Culinary Arts 1. In 2016, during his junior year, he followed it with Culinary Arts 2. That same year, he was offered a kitchen position at Peter Paul Development Center preparing meals for staff and the center’s after-school program. The offer was a perfect fit—Keonne had attended Peter Paul’s after-school program since 4th grade.

In 2017, Keonne graduated from Armstrong. By spring 2018, he was enrolled in Reynolds’ Culinary Arts program. “It was like coming home,” Keonne said of his decision to come to Reynolds. “It was easy to access. Comfortable. I was instantly drawn to Reynolds.”

Keonne doesn’t bemoan his full schedule. “I work all day Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'm in class all day Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. I have American Regional Cuisine, my favorite class so far, until 3:30, then I get about an hour break before Food and Beverage until 9 p.m. I do homework at night and on weekends.”

Perhaps watching Gordon Ramsay in action prepared Keonne for long days and the multitude of tasks he would be asked to perform in the kitchen. His attitude and outlook are overwhelmingly positive and focused. “I love to do everything,” he says without hesitation. “Learning about different cuisines and cultures is fun stuff.” No doubt, he has found his niche.

Keonne expects to take his final course—his Capstone class—in summer 2021 and graduate from Reynolds that fall. What’s next for him? “In the short term, I’d love to get into catering,” he says. “Then I’d like to be a traveling chef, working around the country, then around the world. I’d like to go everywhere.”

Given his drive, enthusiasm, curiosity, and desire, it’s easy to picture Keonne going “everywhere.”