“I love the one-to-one interactions with students and the ability to become a role model.”
Meet Ms. Crystal Vitorino a Culinary teaching assistant here at Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech. She teaches Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry, and Food Service Fundamentals. This is Ms. Vitorino’s first year teaching the culinary arts students at GNBVT. She attended Washington Township High School in South Jersey. She attended college at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island where she received her associate and bachelor’s degree in science. Ms. Vitorino majored in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management. She also worked as a cake designer and a small business owner for 17 years. Ms. Vitorino decided to break away from the culinary industry and become a teacher because she wanted to settle down and have a more routine schedule. She decided to work at GNBVT because she loved the amount of hands-on learning we practice and the diversity in the school. “The first moment I walked into the Welcome Center and saw all the flags I said to myself, “I could see myself working here!”
Before working at Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech, Ms. Vitorino taught culinary arts at Community Autism Resources based at Bristol Community College for three years. For her culinary internship, she worked at Sid Wainer & Son Specialty Foods. After college, she worked at restaurants and gained experience in both the front and back of the house. Ms. Vitorino fell in love with cooking at a very young age. She learned how to cook from her mother who was taught by her Nana. Her mother was one of her biggest inspirations growing up because she encouraged her to perfect her craft and always to believe in herself. Even though she works with food every day it is still one of her hobbies. Outside of the culinary world, she enjoys crafting and planning special events. And during the nicer months, she spends some of her days freshwater fishing and going to the beach. Ms. Vitorino also enjoys self-care. She will enjoy days at the spa where she can decompress, meditate and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the world.
Ms. Vitorino is a wonderful new addition to the Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech staff and would like to give some words of wisdom to the incoming freshmen. “Take it all in. Learn as much as you can. Your good days will definitely outweigh your bad days.”
Article and Picture by: Kendall Carvalho, Senior Media Technology