Aspiring chefs maneuver around equipment as warmth rises from the griddles, stoves and ovens, roasting the crammed kitchen at City College. Beads of sweat collect on their faces as they chop, mix, and sauté.

These students know how merciless the heat in the kitchen can be, but are prepared to stand it. This heat is the passion that drives them; what reminds them of why they wished to be a chef in the first place.

“With learning comes confidence, and with confidence comes success,” said Randy Bublitz, head of the culinary department.

Bublitz knows what it takes for his students to become chefs. He has been teaching at City College since 1993, and in that time he has taught every kind of student-from the regular “goof-offs” to the passionate and driven.

“Students get a lot of hands-on experience in the kitchen, which really prepares them for the culinary world,” he said.

While most students are looking for jobs that pay well, it’s more important to find a job where one can continue to learn and grow as a chef, Bublitz said.

Alex Castillo, a graduate from 1988, is a prime example of a chef who continued to thrive in his workplace throughout the years. He recently became the head-chef at the El Paseo Restaurant on Anacapa Street.

Castillo described his experience in the culinary program as unforgettable.

“It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” he said.

Castillo’s love for cooking began while growing up in Mexico with a lifetime interest in food. Coupled with passion to create and cook, Castillo has more than 20 years of culinary experience under his belt.

A day at work for Castillo begins with checking the meat and produce, making sure everything is fresh. Unlike many restaurants, he makes everything from scratch.

Castillo’s favorite dish is rajos con crema, which are tacos made from handmade tortillas and fresh salsa.

When Castillo was in the culinary program, the training was so extensive that he was one of only four students who graduated that year.

“It was like the military,” he said. “I loved it.”

The most important thing Castillo learned was to always be prepared.

“I like to be two or three steps ahead of everyone,” he said. “And that’s what this program taught me.”

Castillo advises students to not only be properly trained, but to put themselves in an environment working with people just as passionate.

Heather May, a 19-year-old student in the Culinary Arts Program, is doing just that.

Besides being a student in the program, she works both as a waitress and as an assistant in the kitchen of two different restaurants in order to immerse herself in the cooking world.

May’s interest in cooking developed when she was a little girl.

“My dad was good at barbecuing and my mom made tasty food,” she said.

The program varies in difficulty depending on the individual student, she said.

“It’s a personality thing,” she said. “For me this program is easy, but only because I love it. There really is a lot of time that goes into it.”

May graduates this semester and dreams of one day opening her own restaurant or deli.

“I like making food and I like making people happy,” she said. “That pretty much sums up why I’m in the program.”

Whether you are teaching, working, or learning as a chef, May believes that to become great at what you do boils down to having one thing: a passion for food.

And at the end of the day, after the stoves and griddles have been wiped clean and the food neatly packed away in the fridge, the kitchen gets a rest for the night. But a fire continues to smolder in the hearts of the chefs.

The world is their oyster, or perhaps their linguini and clams.