Six Months In: Karmen's Kitchen Story

Six Months In: Karmen’s Kitchen Story

Six months ago, Karmen started a new job in a professional kitchen at The Grand Hyatt Nashville. Today, she’s creating desserts for banquets, training new teammates, and riding to work on her own. Her milestone shows what can happen when the right workplace meets the right support. Karmen has deepened her sense of confidence, which has allowed her more freedom and independence in her day-to-day life. This is the power of employment. It is not just a paycheck; it is a found purpose and a deepened sense of self.

One moment that stands out from the past six months is when the kitchen head chef asked Karmen to help create the strawberry rhubarb dessert for a YMCA banquet tasting menu. It was one of only three desserts being presented. Karmen’s reaction? “You want me to help you with this?” Karmen told us she felt honored to be asked to be part of this and valued as a member of the pastry team. By focusing on Karmen’s strengths and talents, her supervisor can see her unique skill set and shine light on it. This is where real inclusion begins.

Karmen’s mom/job coach, Rebekah, says that she has noticed how Karmen follows a recipe the same way every single time. In a kitchen, that’s a superpower. Coworkers now specifically request Karmen’s cookies because they know exactly what they’ll taste like. The qualities that make Karmen who she is are the same ones that make her valuable on the team.

When a new hire joined without formal pastry training, the chefs turned to Karmen to show her the ropes. Karmen’s response: “Wait, I was training her?” She hadn’t realized how far she’d come, but her team had. In just 5 months, Karmen had gained all the tools needed to train and support a new hire, showing her independence in the pastry kitchen. This again shows how much of a valued employee Karmen is and how her strengths are appreciated. 

Growth Beyond the Kitchen

Some of the biggest changes in Karmen aren’t in the kitchen; Karmen has grown in ways that affect her life outside of the job. Karmen mentioned she saw herself as a picky eater, someone who wasn’t interested in trying new things. But she now works alongside a team that cooks dishes from all over the world, and she’s trying, and genuinely liking, foods she never would have ignored before.

Karmen also now takes an Uber to and from her shifts on her own. It may sound like a small thing, but it reflects confidence built over time, not just skills learned. She has a routine now, one that she enjoys and derives purpose from. Travelling to and from work is an extra milestone in her building of independence.

For Rebekah, this milestone is about more than a work anniversary. She has watched her daughter build a reputation, a skill set, and a sense of belonging that extends well beyond any one shift. She also wanted to thank someone specifically. “We really thank Mike,” Rebekah said. “I always tell people he came in with the north wind and changed our lives.”

INNclusivity could not be happier for Karmen and all of her successes. We are excited to watch as she continues to grow and develop her role; we’ll always be here to cheer her on. As we can see, employment is much more than a job with a paycheck; it is a life-changing milestone that deserves a little celebration.