Devin

Generously Supported By: Chef Uniforms
Age, at time of Internship: 17
CT Intern: Summer 2023
Restaurant Host: Nopa, Chef Laurence & Chef Sean
Referred By: Enterprise For Youth
Intern Story:

Devin has been cooking and baking with his mom, aunt, and grandparents since he was seven. For him, cooking is about giving, whether it’s giving his time to his family to help get dinner on the table or baking his loved ones their favorite dessert on their birthday. His passion for food led him to a job at a San Francisco farmer’s market, and from there, his love of food has continued to grow.  

Devin was thrilled to start his Sprouts Chef Training internship where he worked closely with Chef Sean experiencing all that Nopa restaurant has to offer. During his internship, Devin learned everything from making a bechamel sauce to preparing duck confit and also slicing up portions of lamb with a hacksaw. 

Devin began his internship wanting to build his sense of teamwork. He noted it was daunting to come into a cooking environment where everybody already knew each other and had more professional kitchen experience. However, he quickly built relationships with the kitchen staff and learned how to be a helpful member of the Nopa team. 

Devin dreams of opening either a catering business or a bakery. To make his dream a reality, Devin plans on using both his experience at Nopa as well as his financial knowledge from serving as a student member of the SFUSD financial board. Devin’s high school was underfunded and it was there where he learned to enjoy stretching his number-crunching skills to make a little money go a long way. Devin is grateful to Chef Uniforms for supporting his internship. Sprouts looks forward to seeing Devin’s culinary business come to fruition and hopes he continues to perfect the croissants he enjoys baking in his spare time.