Hao
Environ Sijia 290 Food
Chef Position Cover Letter
7 December, 2011
To the owners of Worldly Flavors,
I am an aspiring chef interested in applying for the position youve described for your
restaurant. I believe strongly in the local food movement cause you are trying to promote and
would gain invaluable knowledge for food and cooking at your restaurant, as it would give me
professional restaurant experience and an opportunity to truly make a difference and shape the
perceptions of my community.
I have been interested in environmental issues all my life and the production and
consumption of food invariably relates to that topic. In college, I took courses such as Global
Warming and The Ethics, Economics, and Ecology of Growing and Eating to further my
knowledge on the topic. Living in Ann Arbor, I frequent the Farmers Market in downtown Ann
Arbor biweekly and always try to buy in season, even and especially if it means trying unfamiliar
produce. Because of my willingness to try new foods, Im very familiar with Michigan
specialties and how best to use them.
I also have a passion for cooking. Ever since I can remember, Ive been helping my
parents in the kitchen. They instilled me in a love for good food, quality ingredients, and gave
me a solid background on Asian cuisine and flavors. In high school, I began exploring different
recipes and learning about other methods of cooking from regions all around the world. Through
my own experimentations, I have become comfortable with Italian, Mediterranean, and Indian
dishes. In addition to Asian foods, I am proficient at baking; I have been compensated monetarily
on numerous occasions to bake for birthdays and other events. I love the way food brings people
together, and how good food almost always equates to happy people. Because food is about
pleasing the customer and not showcasing my own skill, I am more than happy to learn from and
teach other team members of the kitchen; collaboration usually leads to a superior end product.
I believe that my experiences, coupled with my enthusiasm and passion for living out
sustainable eating, would make me a choice candidate for your position as chef at Worldly
Flavors. Please feel free to contact me for any additional information. I look forward to hearing
from you soon.
Sijia Hao
Stephen M. Ross School of Business, BBA 2014
University of Michigan