According to Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.: "... as life is action and passion, it is required of a man that he should share the passion and action of his time at peril of being judged not to have lived." Surely no one could judge Menelio Griffith of not having lived. Few have the courage to follow their passions, and even fewer once they have spent eleven years in pursuit of a career.

In the latest installment of Cooking with IEEE Spectrum, Suzan Hassler speaks with Griffith abut his life changing decision to leave the field of engineering and pursue the dream that he had put aside many years before. In this inspiring interview, Griffith explains his attraction to cooking and how he combines his engineering skills with the creative freedom he enjoys from cooking.

During the interview, Griffith also explains the lessons he learned while studying in the Culinary Program of The Art Institute of California in San Diego which helped him make the jump from Electrical Engineer to Sous Chef. For Griffith, the change was difficult, but by pursuing his passion, he believes he can better leverage his experience, culture upbringing, and regional exposure in a way which benefits everyone, including himself.