Culinary Graduate Success: CIV Grad Cooks for Presidents

Growing up in Brazil, Marcia Bittencourt always enjoyed cooking, but it was no more than a hobby. As an adult, however, that began to change.

“Basically, that’s what I did during most of my free time,” she says. “If I wasn’t at work, I was in the kitchen.” She has two undergraduate degrees, one in accounting, and the other in hospitality management. She also earned a master’s degree in human resources.

One day, her boss called a meeting to offer her a promotion. Ironically, it was that day Marcia had planned to give her notice. She had decided to step off the corporate ladder and go to culinary school. It was something she had been planning this for quite some time. Marcia knew she wanted to attend school in the United States and had traveled to several cities to figure out where she might like to live. “I visited Atlanta, New York, and Washington DC, and it was no contest…DC was where I wanted to be,” she says.

However, Marcia says she could not find a culinary school in the Washington area that felt like the right fit. So, she began researching schools in nearby states and found the Culinary Institute of Virginia (CIV). “It was exactly what I was looking for,” she says. “So, I sold everything I owned – my apartment, furniture, and car – and got a student visa.”

Marcia 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 secured an externship with one of the region’s best restaurants, Steinhilber’s Thalia Acres Inn in Virginia Beach. As graduation approached, she knew she wanted to remain in the states for at least another year to gain more practical experience. In addition to extending her visa, she also had to renew her passport. That’s when she went to the Brazilian Embassy’s website and stumbled across a notice that the embassy in Washington DC was seeking a new sous chef, and that there was only one day left to apply.

That’s when things sped up in a hurry. Three days after Marcia applied, she had her first interview. Five days later, a second interview – this one with the ambassador himself. Forty-eight hours later, she was asked to cook for him, along with 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 Marcia got the job, and then was told she had less than a week to pack her belongings and move into her new room at the Brazilian Embassy. She says the executive chef she will work under has worked at several Michelin-starred restaurants, so she’s knows this represents a tremendous opportunity to further develop her skills.

As for the 10 years she spent in the business world, all that experience will likely come in handy further down the road. Eventually, Marcia would like to open a either catering business or bed & breakfast. For now, she says that she feels very fortunate. “I can hardly believe it,” she says. “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.”

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