hello and welcome to "comunidad del valle," i'm damian trujillo. and in today's show -- [ speaking spanish ] >> nbc bay area presents "comunidad del valle" with damian trujillo. >> we begin today with cet's culinary school, located here in san jose. with me on "comunidad del valle" are richelle seigler, cet head chef. and also alissa santiago is a student there at the cet culinary school. welcome to the show. >> thank you. >> you brought a wonderful pastry. before we tease anybody, tell us what you brought for us. >> the students made a delicious cheesecake, vanilla cheesecake

with white chocolate saving and whipped cream. >> all right. how difficult, alissa, is producing something like that? you've been there, how difficult is? >> i like to bake so i don't fine it difficult. does take a lot of time when you measure out everything. once you get all your thing prepared and ready, for me it goes fast. i can get it done. >> talk about the prestige, if you will, of the culinary school. what happens to students once they graduate from such an institution? >> well, we are center for employment training. so our goal is to train everybody to get a job the end of their training. so we help them find work in schools will and hospitals, apple, google, eastbound, restaurants. just with -- ebay, restaurant, just about everywhere with a kitchen. >> you've been doing it for how long?

what are your goals and aspirations? >> i've only been in the program for maybe a month. >> okay. >> i'm trying to get into a bakery. i want to learn to bake. cooking is difficult for me, i'm planning maybe to get -- i thought about the county, like a bakery in -- becoming a baker there. >> a carpenter need a hammer and screwdriver for what reason. you brought your own tools. talk about your investment in your tools which is probably attached to your hip from now on. >> actually, i don't use my knives a lot. >> your baking materials. >> yeah. i use my chef knife a lot. and the paring knife, that's the ones i've used so far. i've only been here for a month, so i haven't had the chance to use all of them yet. >> one month? how long until you're up and flying and baking on your own? >> my graduation date is somewhere in may. so hopefully around may or april.

>> for the hospitals, richelle, and maybe some of the googles as you mentioned, what should they expect in may from somebody like alissa? >> she will be ready to enter a job as a prep cook or, in her case, she want to do bakery. so an assistant to pastry kitchen. she can work in safeway. she can begin at any entry-level job. >> what was it that made you say i want to get into culinary? culinary school and do this for a living? >> well, my mom's a cook. so i see her do it and -- i've always liked baking, so i assumed this of the way i wanted to go with my life. >> how do you keep the weight off with so much food around you, hitchle? >> you -- richelle? >> you move a lot. i love it. it's physical. if you enjoy moving, somebody who likes to work with their hand as well as their brain, you don't have time to eat, you know, stand right eating.

you're working -- stand around eating. you're working. can be stressful. >> you taste -- >> you taste it, but you're not eating it. make sure you taste it. >> that takes away all the fun. >> no. it's really a fun job. if you like to use your hands and your mine at the same job, this is a great decision for you. there are so many jobs in this area that we have more jobs coming to us every day than we have students. >> after a month, some people might think, good not, what did i get myself -- goodness, what did i get myself into? >> i like working -- i have to look at everything, i'm slow at first. once i get it down, like i got it down like this. so i like that. i like to work that way. >> all right. well, you've been forewarned. you have a chef or baker ready in the making here, come may -- there's the information for more information. the center for employment training culinary school. we'll be back and talk more about the opportunities there at cet when we continue. ♪

we're back with the cet culinary school, located here in san jose. with me again on "comunidad del valle" now, richelle. joining us again. and robert, a student. you brought your tools also, robert. you were talking about how your tuition into this program help pay for what you're carrying here. >> right. the kit is complete. that's included, as well as chef coats and chef hats. >> what have you got there? what do you have there, robert, at this point? >> i've got spatulas. wooden, rubber spatulas we use for baking. i've got a potato peeler. apple corer and zester. >> i have no idea what a zester is. >> microplane. >> so what made you decide at your young age to say, you know, i want to get into the cet

culinary school? >> i've cooked for a while, but i've always wanted to get my credentials and always wanted to learn the correct way of doing the culinary. i finally got an opportunity. i went back. i'm really happy. cet is really great. >> what do you think, piece of cake here, pardon the pun. >> yeah. actually i've never baked, but going to cet i know and understand baking. it's a lot of fun. i feel like a kid again sometimes. >> cool. talk about the students who you service, richelle. who they are, where do they come from, and kind of the goals they come in and once they leave. >> well, anyone, everybody is welcome to come to cet. and like robert and our other student that you saw. we have every age, from 17 1/2, we had a student who is 72 once. >> wow. >> everyone comes in with

different aspirations. but they are all looking for employment at the end of training. that's the goal. >> i know that back when the recession hit, you were -- you were training folk at cet, maybe not necessarily the culinary school, but cet who lost jobs in the high-tech world. there are those folks also who -- >> right. when the nume plant shut down, we trained -- i think we had 25 come right away from the nume. >> are you that -- that chef that yells and screams like in the tv show? are you the more calm head chef -- >> i'm a little more calm, but i have a wonderful co-worker, ricardo cortez, that will fill in that once in a while. >> what is it about your program that produces the quality that ms. rosals will be? >> hands-on training, repetitive hand-on training. knife skills are high priority. and safety and sanitation number one. they come out with a serve safe

certificate. a lot of schools have -- don't have that or have food handlers cards. that's a little higher up. >> uh-huh. >> great. >> what is it about you, sir, that made you say, hey, i'll give this a shot professionally? >> i'm learning a lot of the termnologist that i kind of -- terminologies that i knew on paper but didn't know how to present it. the chefs are teaching me all the stuff. like i say, file like a young kid learning one again the fundamentals of cooking. and it's just not putting food in a frying pan. it's knowing exactly what you're doing, measurement, and the math and everything of all -- >> to me it's just putting food in a frying pan. i'll ask the same question. how hard is it not to eat what you're producing every day? i mean, it's got to be difficult. you smell it, see it -- >> after a while, i'm smelling it, you we come it's going to taste like. you taste a little bit. but you have to have

self-discipline. you can't eat the whole half a ham. self-discipline and creative. you're going to create an art. that's what it is. >> talk about the program, if you will, for those who might be interested. is it a six-month program, how does that work? and what do you expect out of those students? >> yeah. it's six month program, 810 hours, machine through friday 8:00 to -- monday through friday 8:00 to 3:00. we can't train you and help if you you're not going to attend. we want you to be there as much possible. give you books. we have hand-on practice. every day -- we have field trips, guest speakers, job repatriation. >> that's what it takes, if you're sitting home wondering what's next in your career, there is the cet culinary school. log on to the website for more information. thank you very much. any final thoughts from you before we let you go? >> if you love food and you love cooking, come to cet. >> all right. thank you very much. good luck. >> thank you.

up next on "comunidad del valle" -- [ speaking spanish ] >> stay with us. ring ring!... progresso! it's ok that your soup tastes like my homemade. it's our slow simmered vegetables and tender white meat chicken. apology accepted. i'm watching you soup people.

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the public sectors is called "navidad in mexico." with me is carlos moreno jr. with the ballet americano. welcome to the show. tell us about your dad. >> well, he towned his dance troupe in 19 -- founded his dance troupe in 1967. i was born into it. i was around him and got to see what he did. he took me all over mexico. so it's part of who i am. and it's been a wonderful ride. >> you didn't have a choice. >> not really. not at first, no. >> talk about the evolution for yourself mentally and how much this has grown into your mind and your heart. >> yeah. well, you know, it's -- i'm grateful for it. and it really taught me a lot about my roots, where my culture comes from. being born here if the united

states, we're so separated from mexico. so i found through my own personal experience that this is just a great way to be in touch with -- with those of mexican descent. now i teach, and i choreograph, prepare dancers so that we, educate the community and get them exposed to the beautiful things of the mexican culture. >> we have a lot of maestros who travel to mexico to learn a new dance. then they come back and teach it. how important is it for that dancer to go abroad, to go where that -- if you're dancing, to go to the state and learn the date dance and bring it back? >> that's invaluable to have the opportunity to actually see where the dances come from. it's one thing to be in the studio and learn the dances. but it's another to actually live it. so -- absolutely very important. >> in this production, "navidad in mexico," it only happens obviously once a year. but the choreography been it, the colors behind it, talk about

the time that's spent into putting something into what we're watching. >> it definitely has to evolve through the years. a lot of the production, some of the pieces have been in the program for a while. but every year we try to create something new and different and try to really expand on the experience and what it is to be in make for navidad. >> i mean, when you go -- when you go to the productions, it does seem like you're really there. how vital is it that the guest of the performance go home feeling that way? >> well, very important. we try to give something to the people who come from mexico a reminder of, you know, bring mexico to them. for those who have never been to mexico and haven't experienced it, you really, you know, get something new you and exciting. a new part of christmas for them. >> you have a public sector coming up at the mexican heritage plaza. talk about what they can expect when they come see your

production. >> well, it's very family oriented event. usually when you first arrive, the corps is set up for mexican christmas decorations. we have a lot of food from mexico. that seems to be a topic of the day. you know, you can buy i'souveni there, beautifully decorated. >> does that take an entire year to produce or you've been doing it so long, it comes second center. >> no. we pretty much -- there's a lot of little things going on throughout the year. definitely things intensify come october, november, trying to get all the last-minute preparations. yeah, it's a lot of work, and you know, you give us more time, we'll -- we'll come up with new thing. we're always at the last minute -- >> are you a school, or are you more performance company? >> we're both. we do have our school. people of all ages come and learn about the dances of mexico. and then we definitely produce

programs performed throughout the bay area, the country also throughout the year. >> now, my girls started dancing probably when they were 4 or 5. you know, kids, they probably have two feet once they begin. how -- how patient do you have to be because kids will soak it up and learn fast. at the beginning, you have to have a lot of patience to put up with it. >> it definitely takes a special type of person to teach and -- to teach in general. you have to be patient and see where thing are at, how thing are evolving, and work with them. >> what's it like to see that kid who came into your company or school at 4 or 5 years old and now they're with the big dance company performing, and they're 20, 21? >> it's very rewarding. once we have the kids there for a while, it's like family. brothers and sisters are like our children. to see them flourish and take pride in what they're doing is

wonderful. >> this performance, it's coming up when at the mexican heritage -- we have the information to show you on the screen. we don't have the date. but it's happening at the mexican heritage plaza. >> yes, the mexican heritage plaza on saturday the 20th. two performances that day, 2:00 p.m. matinee and 8:00 p.m. matinee. we're inviting the whole community to come over and experience this. >> all right. it's "navidad in mexico." come experience the magic of what is mexico and for the dance performances by ball la-- for t ballet. >> i know it's a busy time, but try to make the time for an event like this. especially for your children. i continue's a great way to get them exposed to the culture. >> we'll give you a taste of what you maybe can see and experience at the mexican heritage plaza and "navidad in mexico." that's coming up.

here's what's happening in your comunidad -- ♪ >> and those celebrating a special day -- ♪

and here's our address for next week's showing is, re -- s suggestions or recommendations. contact me -- watch us every saturday at 5:30 p.m. "comunidad del valle" is now in espanol. that's every saturday, your "comunidad del valle." we thank you very much again for sharing a part of your sunday with us here on "comunidad del valle." we leave you now with the sound and sights of "navidad in mexico" with carlos moreno. ♪ ♪

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olympians have reunited here on the slopes of breckenridge, colorado, on a snowy sunday. it's the dew tour where the best snowboarders and freeskiers gather at the first major event of the winter, but first, to our nbc sports studio. welcome to the honda nbc sports desk.