Gustavo Arellano: These chefs-in-training have overcome a lot. Now, they'd like a job
LOS ANGELES — Shin rolled out the cookie dough. Asia sauteed the onions. Christopher fried the tortilla chips. Richard cooked the pinto beans.
The kitchen at the Arc Los Angeles and Orange Counties in Downey was hopping.
For the past two weeks, the nonprofit's culinary students — seven men ranging in age from 22 to 41, decked out in black chef's coats with metal tags that included their first names and "Future Chef" — had catered breakfast and lunch for a human resources conference. This was the final day, and lunch would be a feast for 50 of chicken tinga, cochinita pibil and bean-and-potato tacos.
The students are all on the autism spectrum. Christopher largely kept to himself. Richard monitored the pinto beans with a timer he assiduously reset every time it went off. Sean mashed the guacamole while
