Brian Huskey began his culinary career at the age of 19, flipping burgers at The Grove to pay the bills in his Midvale Avenue apartment. A few years later, Huskey graduated from UCLA in 2003 with an economics degree and summer internships at Merrill Lynch under his belt, but decided against going to graduate school or working in finance to study the culinary arts instead. Read more...

Photo: After graduating from UCLA in 2003 with an economics degree, alumnus Brian Huskey decided to switch plans and go to culinary school in San Francisco. Now Huskey oversees a staff of approximately 15 cooks and chefs at his own restaurant Tackle Box, which he opened in 2015 with the help of Ed Lee, the co-founder of Wahoo’s Fish Taco. (Hannah Burnett/Assistant Photo editor)

Adaeze Njaka repaired her mother’s necklaces using only her fingernails and teeth when she was a child. The UCLA alumna now creates her own jewelry – crystal crowns – for clients ranging from Renaissance fairgoers to Grammy-nominated Australian singer Sam Sparro. Read more...

Photo: Alumna Adaeze Njaka’s crowns are inspired by fantasy narratives such as “Game of Thrones,” in which the characters’ accessories reflect their surrounding environment. (Aubrey Yeo/Daily Bruin senior staff)

Artist Aein Hope strolled through a South Korean street market in search of the perfect souvenir to commemorate her time studying abroad. The UCLA Korean studies and Asian humanities alumna hoped to find a shirt or bag featuring Hangeul, Korea’s written language. Read more...

Photo: Alumna Aein Hope designs jewelry and accessories inspired by Korean folklore and Hangeul characters. (Chelsea Zhang/Daily Bruin)

Christy Cunanan’s coworkers at The Walt Disney Company said her homemade ice cream reminded them of their home countries of China, Vietnam, India and the Philippines. Read more...

Photo: Alumna Christy Cunanan creates ice cream flavors inspired by her and her family’s childhood experiences in the Philippines. Her Calamansi flavor is associated with learning the Filipino language in her grandfather’s backyard. (Habeba Mostafa/Daily Bruin)