GCC culinary student is first Guamanian to attend Le Cordon Bleu

It started as her side business, baking cakes out of her home kitchen. Now Selah Chong finds herself in the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, pursuing her passion in patisserie. After taking culinary classes in high school, Chong enrolled in the Guam Community College Culinary Arts & Food Service Management and graduated with a double major in Culinary and Food Service Management.

Recently, the Le Cordon Bleu Paris Facebook page shared photos of Chong standing with a Guam flag with a caption sharing their praise of having a student from Guam in their presence. She is the first Guamanian to attend the school.

“Le Cordon Bleu is further extending this cultural and international dimension by highlighting the colours of the island of Guam with Selah, a student in the Diplôme de Pâtisserie. Selah is the first student from Guam, and at the age of 23 she has made her dream come true and followed her passion by enrolling at Le Cordon Bleu Paris,” the social media post read.

Chong shared that her time in the GCC kitchen classroom prepared her for the setting that some of her fellows at the prestigious school are still trying to get used to.

“When I started classes, it felt very different from GCC,” said Chong. “The chefs were cold and seemed only to base you off your final products. The school system itself was easy for me to manage since I had a good amount of experience in the kitchen from GCC. I was definitely prepared and wasn’t overwhelmed like some of my classmates who have never attended a culinary school beforehand.”

The GCC Culinary program kickstarted a passion that she had. She started off as a home baker selling cakes on Instagram, while wondering how she could take that passion to the next level. It was through the dedication of her instructors and the staff at GCC that she was able to secure further information on the culinary program.

“I spoke with Mrs. Marivic “Vicky” Schrage [about the culinary program] and she replied instantly with excitement,” Chong added. “As I kept going through the program, I felt a sense of respect toward this craft and felt even more passionate about learning. After my first semester, I was easily convinced by Culinary & Food Service Management Department chair Chef Kennylyn Miranda to pursue a second degree in Food Service Management. I was able to finish in exactly two years going over the full student credits and graduated with honors.”

Chong highly recommends the Culinary and Food Service Management programs to anyone with a passion for being in the kitchen. Prior to attending GCC she planned to attend Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Chong chose to earn her Associates in Arts with GCC first, which led to questions as to why she just didn’t go straight to Paris.

“I am glad I went to GCC first; it led me to network with the chefs in the island and I also made some lifelong friends that I am still in touch with. I really enjoyed all the instructors at GCC because they were invested in my life. It felt like they cared.

Chong still updates the Culinary & Food Service Management faculty at GCC with her goings on in Paris.

Chong is currently in Guam to spend time with family and friends during her Christmas break. She will return to Paris where she anticipates graduating in February 2025 with a Patisserie and Boulangerie Diploma. She also plans to earn a Bachelor in Career & Technical Education so she may pass on her passion and knowledge through educating future chefs.

“We love hearing these life updates from our students after they graduate,” said GCC president Dr. Mary Okada. “As with all our successful alumni through the decades, the GCC community is proud of Selah and wish her the best in Paris and in life. Of course, it’s fitting for a GCC student chef graduate to be the first student from Guam attend Le Cordon Bleu Paris. Biba Guam!”

ManageFirst Professional

Chong is also the first GCC graduate to receive the esteemed National Restaurant Association ManageFirst Professional credential since its implementation in 2018. To earn the MFP, candidates must successfully pass the challenging ManageFirst exams and accumulate a minimum of 800 hours of industry experience.

Spring 2024 registration ongoing

New and returning students can register online at GuamCC.edu or apply or in person at the Administration Building 2000, from Monday to Friday, from 8am to 5pm. Academic advisers, financial aid personnel, and admissions staff will be available to assist students in Building 2000. The last day to register for classes is Friday, Jan. 5, 2024.

For more information on applying or registering for classes call the Office of Admissions & Registration at (671) 735-5531 or email gcc.regsitrar@guamcc.edu. (GCC)