Professional Work | kirstinsalka

Work Experience

Dietetic Internship August 2018-May 2019

Cedar Crest College

The dietetic internship was a rigorous 1,200+ hours of supervised practiced program that is required to establish eligibility to sit for the national examination to receive the credential of Registered Dietitian. During the internship, I participated in four rotations: clinical, food service, community, and concentration. I completed over 1,245 supervised hours, and met all of the competencies required for this internship. At the end of my internship I also completed a concentration in community nutrition. In addition to the internship, I was enrolled full time in the nutrition masters program. This program and internship honed down my time management skills, interpersonal skills, and attention to detail. I thrived in this program because it was very conducive for my creativity skills, which are a very strong suit of mine. My culinary skills have proven to be a point of advantage as I am able to recommend a variety of healthy recipes and cooking techniques to patients, as well as lead hands-on cooking demonstrations. I also created a website of my own personal cooking videos as a resource to provide to the community and patients to promote healthy cooking and eating at home.

Service Personnel/Bridal Attendant April 2018-August 2018

Russell Morin Catering and Events

Russell Morin Catering and Events is a fine dining catering company. I was based out of their Newport, RI venues due to my high experience and professionalism. I worked at many of the mansions, and worked private house parties as well. For weddings I was often the Bridal Attendant, meaning I was to cater specifically for the bride and groom for the entire event. This job strengthened my ability to work with multiple different poeple of different work ethics and personalities due to the constant changing in staff due to multiple events. I also learned how to adapt to change, be inventive, and how to manage situations that do not go as expected.

I worked an event for Martha Stewart, and a napkin fold I had created specifically for this event was featured on Martha Stewarts Website.

Dining Room Manager 2016-2018

22 Bowens Bar Wine and Grille

22 Bowens Bar Wine and Grille is a multi-million dollar restaurant part of Newport Harbor Corporation. I started 22 Bowens as a host. Soon into my career at 22 Bowens, I was offered the position of Dining Room Manager. In this position, I am in charge of managing the front door and hosts, reconciling revenue, closing down the restaurant every evening, assisting any staff members that need help, and providing the best service to the guests all with a big smile. This job has helped me grow tremendously in my leadership and interpersonal skills. It has strengthened my ability to perform well under high stress situations and a fast paced work environment. This job has allowed me to meet so many great people and I have established a strong network through this job.

Line Cook/Waitstaff 2012-2016

Atria Assisted Living and Retirement Home

I started at Atria as a waitstaff. I built very strong relationships with many of the residents there. My responsibilities as a waitstaff was setting up before each meal, resetting tables, taking orders from residents, and cleaning up after the end of each shift. I eventually moved up to line cook and learned under the head chef. Due to my baking skills, I was designated to be in charge of baking and decorating cookies for touring guests. Additionally, I was offered to do a program called Cooking with Kirstin. For this I would develop monthly recipes to demonstrate to the residents and have assistance from the residents when applicable. I also had the pleasure of participating in a Beauty and the Beast Cook off with the residents. This culinary program divided the residents into two teams and they worked with me as their lead chef for Team Beauty. The remaining residents tasted tested and judged the food. I also had the opportunity to be represent the company at the Newport Food and Wine Festival and the Bristol 4th of July Fundraiser.

Opening Baker and Recipe Developer 2013-2014

Blue Kangaroo Cafe

The Blue Kangaroo Cafe is a local owned cafe in Barrington, RI. I worked there as their opening baker. I was in charge of baking off the muffins, cookies, brownies, scones, and other goodies. I also set up the display cases, restocked items, made batters and completed inventory lists. Additionally, I took part in developing new recipes, especially those that catered toward allergies and intolerances. Many of my recipes became permanent items on the menu.

CEO and Cake Decorator 2008-present

Kirstin's Cakes

Kirstin's Cakes is a business that I started in 2008. I started going to cake decorating classes after the show Cake Boss featuring Duff Goldman premiered. He inspired me to learn how to make decorative cakes. From lessons, I self taught myself further via experimentation and YouTube videos. My business thrived as many people in my town would order cakes from me for all types of special occasions such as birthdays, school events, holidays, restaurants, baptisms, ect. I worked with my customers to develop an idea. I would then design their cake, bake, decorate, and deliver the cake myself. My business opened up an opportunity for me to work as an opening baker and recipe developer at a local bakery called the Blue Kangaroo Cafe.

Community Involvement

Left: Unveiling my healthy desserts in the dining hall, at my food service rotation during my dietetic internship.

Right: Setting up my mise en place for my cooking classes with low-income participants as part of my community concentration during my dietetic internship.

Below: Posing with my handmade decor for my themed lunch event I developed for my food service site during my dietetic internship.

Left: Volunteering at an Assisted Living/Retirement home doing Nutritional Cooking Demonstrations. I would have monthly demonstrations that I developed, planned, and executed involving elderly to show them healthy simple recipes they could create and enjoy.

Right: Volunteering with the Culinary director and a resident at the Bi-annual Cook-off [Beauty and the Beast theme] hosted for the elderly and families in the community.

Below: Teaching tools for the Nutritional Workshop that I researched, developed, planned, and presented to students of West Warwick Elementary school. This particular part of the workshop I taught students about sugar in their beverages. Educating them on natural vs processed sugar and the health benefits of "Thinking their Drink".

Above: Volunteering at a fundraiser dinner. I volunteered to help set up, serve food, and clean up areas and tables throughout the event. I've also helped out the Nutrition club packaging Thanksgiving dinners. Additionally, I've volunteered through Rhody Ambassadors helping out on Welcome Day for potential and incoming students.

Above: Newport Food and Wine Festival that I had the opportunity to help out at. I assisted in setting up booths, preparing food, cooking, plating, serving and cleaning up booths.

Left: Another cooking demonstration for the elderly. In this photo we are making chocolate covered fruit decorated with fun healthy topping such as coconut and nuts.

Above: At my community rotation concentration, loading up my trolley at the food bank warehouse for take home bags for participants of our cooking classes.

Above: At my clinical site, presenting my research project on Malnutrition diagnoses, the Nutrition Focused Physical Exam, and reimbursement from insurance companies.

Kirstin Salka

Work Experience

Community Involvement