NORFOLK — One thing led to another and for one aspiring sous chef it means a chance to cook in Washington, D.C. at the Brazilian Embassy, which also happens to be her home nation.
Marcia Bittencourt recently graduated from the Culinary Institute of Virginia and ECPI University. But her journey started in her home country of Brazil, with undergraduate degrees in accounting and hospitality management, as well as a master’s degree in human resources.
Although she was beginning her climb up the corporate ladder, cooking was her passion.
“Basically, that’s what I did during most of my free time,” Bittencourt said. “If I wasn’t at work, I was in the kitchen.”
After much deliberation and faced with the prospect of another job promotion, she decided to give it all up, take the leap and attend a culinary school — in the United States.
“I visited Atlanta, New York, and Washington, D.C. and it was no contest. D.C. was where I wanted to be,” she said.
Unable to find a culinary school in the nation’s capital that felt like the right fit, she searched for other schools in surrounding states and found CIV.
“It was exactly what I was looking for,” she said. “So, I sold everything I owned — my apartment, furniture, and car — and got a student visa.”
Bittencourt flourished at CIV. During her time as a student, she entered four campus cooking competitions, placing third twice, and first in the other two. She also secured an externship with one of the region’s top restaurants, Steinhilber’s Thalia Acres Inn in Virginia Beach.
Knowing she wanted to stay in the U.S. after graduation to gain more experience, she needed to extend her visa and renew her passport. So she logged on to the Brazilian Embassy’s website.
That’s when she came across a notice that the embassy was seeking a new sous chef. But there was only one day left to apply, which she did.
And that’s when things got crazy.
Three days after applying Bittencourt had her first interview. Five days later there was a second interview — this one with the ambassador himself.
Two days after that she was asked to cook for him and several invited guests. She served up squash, parsnip, and leek soup topped with ginger-flavored croutons as an appetizer, followed by an entrée of pork loin, roasted vegetables, and Duchess Potatoes, then sticky toffee pudding for dessert.
Everyone was impressed and Bittencourt got the job. She had less than a week to pack her belongings and move into her new room at the Brazilian Embassy.
“I can hardly believe it,” she said. “When the President of Brazil comes to Washington, I will cook for him. When heads of state and diplomats visit, I will help to make their visits memorable. It’s all so very exciting.”
Robert Patton, campus director for the CIV, said students like Bittencourt develop a strong educational foundation steeped in culinary skills, management, and hospitality.
“The Culinary Institute of Virginia is focused on providing the most up-to-date and relevant curriculum available in the competitive field of food service. Our students learn by doing, not just reading, listening, or watching.”
