By the time Cesar Gutierrez was 16, he had already gone to jail twice, experimented with gang life, sold drugs and ran away from home.
Today, the 22-year-old works at a popular Manhattan restaurant as a sous chef and has cooked with renown chef Daniel Boulud.
He entered a contest organized by Boulud and the non-profit Careers Through Culinary Arts — and won. The prize was a prestigious scholarship to train at one of the best culinary schools in Paris.
Gutierrez was asked where he would be if he hadn’t gotten the opportunity to work as a chef?
“In jail or six feet under… If it wasn’t for cooking, I’d still be lost.”
(WATCH the video below or READ the story from TODAY)