August 7, 2007

Last Sunday I attended the annual meeting of the Vermont Farm Fresh Network. Some of you may have been at NECI when Pam Knights, a NECI employee at the time, led the effort to launch the Network in the early '90s. It was heartening to see that the organization has grown in stature and membership, and that NECI folks continue to play a very important role in its operation. Tom Bivins, 1991 Montpelier alum and Executive Chef on the Montpelier campus, is on the Board and the incoming president is Tristan Toleno, 1996 Essex alum and owner of the Riverview Café in Brattleboro, Vermont.

In an effort to enhance the commitment of the school even more, the NECI faculty have worked hard to increase instruction in sustainable agriculture with the ultimate objective that it become one of several specializations at the school. The notion of specialization might be compared to a minor at other schools. Electives and special internship opportunities in the designated area will be set up for those who want to do more than the required coursework. Another specialization being developed right now is the Business of Wines and Spirits. Several professionals have reported that other schools teach students about wines and spirits, but little about the business behind their production, distribution and sale.

These specializations and others that are in the planning stages should continue to prepare NECI grads for the current and emerging career opportunities in the food and beverage industry. They reflect NECI's continuing commitment to give students the tools they need to succeed. The effectiveness of the effort can be measured by the low default rate on student loans (currently 3.4%) and the alumni survey report by David Hale, 1990 Montpelier alum and Director of Career Services, which will be summarized in the next issue of NECI News. This information should assure any who doubt the value of a NECI degree.

Should you wonder about the quality of student at NECI, you will be pleased to know that a NECI team of five coached by Dina Altieri just won the American Culinary Federation Knowledge Bowl defeating all other teams from across the country.

Also, you will find another in a series of articles written by current NECI students. We hope to continue to include articles by students as they become available.

Fans of Chef Michel LeBorgne in Birmingham, Asheville and Charleston, South Carolina had the chance to enjoy breakfast with him recently. You will find a brief report about these gatherings as well as the usual updates from other alumni. If alumni in other cities might like to have Michel visit, please let us know. We'll see what can be arranged.

Sincerely,
Fran

Nicholas J. Borrell, AOS Culinary Arts Student

As I walk into the kitchen on my first day, I see the place looks immaculate. Every surface is spotless and sparkling. Organization and cleanliness are definitely not issues here. Already I'm looking forward to what will become my new home. Abruptly, a man of small stature with white hair enters from a stairwell, which appears to come from nowhere, carrying two five gallon buckets in each hand. He looks at me and says nothing while shaking his head in what looks like disbelief. As he disappears back into the stairwell he beckons for me to follow. People call the man I am speaking of Dave the Chef, but in person he maintains he is just a cook. In the days to follow I had the pleasure and benefit of working with the best cook I have ever known.

Dave the Chef is 55 and hails from Portugal, but he appears to be in his early 30's despite his white hair. His moves around the kitchen like a seasoned veteran, with speed like no other. He started out working in his father's restaurant in Portugal at just 10 years old. Dave came to the United States at age 19 with hopes to open his own restaurant, and he succeeded immediately. After his success he went on to open four more establishments in the next 15 years. In each one of his creations he acts as an owner/operator, taking on all daily tasks and activities with a comical and confident, yet knowledgeable and professional attitude.

Dave was not an average guy by any means; he lived the life of a bachelor. Every day started at five-thirty AM. He came in and baked all the breads and pastries for the day, then ate a big breakfast, which he finished with a stiff Bloody Mary. He then began the day's prep work with lightning speed. Dave had an odd attribute, at some point in time he had his thyroid removed, which meant he had the privilege of an inability to sweat. As busy as we could get in he summer, in our very small and very hot kitchen, he would never sweat at all. Each day he somehow found time to take on the most unthinkable tasks on top of the restaurant's daily requirements. At around 3 PM he usually had a small glass of black Sambuca. Dave simply loved Sambuca, and it appeared on our menu at least once a week in varied shape or form. Dave also loved to take the food out to the table himself, quite frequently he told me to "hold it down" and left the line with plates of food in his hands. He took great pride in his work. His food was always fresh and he prepared it with passion.

Dave the Chef has been the main influence on my culinary experience for many reasons. He encouraged me to love to cook and have fun while doing it. He taught me to take great pride in my work, kitchen, and crew. I learned my commitment must not only be to my cooking, but also to myself, my fellow workers, the restaurant, and most importantly to the establishment's patrons. Dave has inspired me to become a culinary professional. As such, I am seeking a formal education to deepen my culinary knowledge and broaden my horizons. Some of my career goals include becoming more diverse, earning a culinary degree, and obtaining a professional cooking position.

Diane Lisevick, Director of Alumni Relations

After winning the March 2007 Northeast Regional Knowledge Bowl competition in Pittsburgh (solidly defeating six other teams), five NECI students participated in the American Culinary Federation's National Competition in Orlando and walked away with First Place! Team members include Angel Custodio (Mod 4 on internship at Hyannisport Club, Hyannisport, MA), Rosalynn Kooker (Mod 2 on internship at Hamersley's Bistro in Boston), Joe Mitchell (Mod 4 on internship at Hanover Inn at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH), Jakub Cogswell (Mod 4 on internship at Twin Farms, Barnard, VT) and Jeff Surdel (currently working at Sonoma Station, Richmond VT). Chef Dina Altieri, CEC, CCE, and Associate Dean of Culinary Affairs at NECI, has served as team coach.

The competition is reminiscent of the television show Jeopardy, with questions pulled from the five categories of sanitation, nutrition, Escoffier, baking fundamentals, and general culinary fundamentals. The NECI team began studying for the regional competition in September '06, logging in five to ten hours of study a week, and according to Chef Dina, the text books, piled one on top of the other, stood over 18" high. What's interesting is that each team member went on internship after the regionals, and could no longer rely on their group study sessions to stay fresh. While in Orlando, the studying and quizzing continued; the team remained undistracted by the seminars, the food vendors, and the giant pool at the Marriott! Four regional teams competed in the finals, each playing three games. In Game 3, NECI (representing the Northeast region) was pitted against the St. Louis, Missouri team (representing the Central region). The question which sealed NECI's win was "How is Vitamin A or Retinol A content measured?"

Tim Klauder, President of NECI's Alumni Association, invited the team to the alumni reception after the trade show, and several friends of NECI helped celebrate! Chef Jean Yves Vendeville, Lisa Adornetto from Admissions, and Diane Lisevick, Director of Alumni Relations, contacted everyone they knew in Montpelier and Essex to spread the word!

As Chef Dina is aware, the bar has been set, and our expectations are high for next year's team!

Lane Rowland Interview

Most chefs are used to bumping elbows in a restaurant's kitchen. However, try baking bread, making pastries, and putting out a 5 course meal for 25 people from the cramped quarters of a yacht's galley as 14' swells crash against the boat. For Lane Rowland (1999 AOS Cul Montpelier), this was the routine for 5 years. As Private Chef on four different yachts, he catered to the culinary whims of his guests whether on shore or on deck.

"It may sound exotic to sign on as Chef for a yacht that sails the world, but it's a lot of work, 14 - 16 hour days when the boat is chartered, and when it's not, the crew still needs to eat. It's easy to burn out so you have to take advantage of days in port, to relax, to go sightseeing," he explained.

"It's a fascinating way to see the world, which is how I became interested in this type of job. I'd interned at Sierra Mar Restaurant at the Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur in California and was a sous chef for three more years. I had reached a point where I wanted to keep exploring, to travel. A client at Sierra Mar had once chartered a yacht and told me that working as a chef on a boat would blend my culinary skills with my interest in travel. But I had no clue how to get started."

Fortunately, a friend of Lane's was working on a yacht and advised him to sign up with an agent. Beverly LaCasse, considered the guru of West Coast yacht crews, liked what Lane had to say because one week after their meeting, he had an interview with a yacht's captain. "I was hired as Chef for the M/Y Montego, a 100' charter yacht based in Seattle. It was temporary six month position, on an 'on call' basis. For the first month, we didn't sail; fortunately, I still got paid. The second month, we had two trips, each one a week long. The third month, we were out the whole month, and by that time, I was hooked."

After that six month stint, Lane sought a larger boat and interviewed with the captain of M/Y Maverick, a 140' foot private boat. This full time position required living on board. Lane spent three years on Maverick, sailing from Alaska to Costa Rica through the Panama Canal to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket and up to Nova Scotia. Counting up the days the yacht was in port, he figures he spent almost a year in Costa Rica. Since he kept his bicycle on board, he toured all over the countryside and came to know the country very well. It was on Maverick that he met his wife.

"I was pretty burned out after three years, so my wife and I took some time off and headed to Fort Lauderdale. At this point I could pick and choose the jobs I wanted, so I accepted a one month position on M/Y Meduse, a 200' yacht with an 18 member crew. This was a private boat making the Pacific crossing from Hawaii to Fiji. It's hard to picture a 200' boat but to give you a sense of her size, she was big enough to accommodate the owner's helicopter!"

Having made the decision that the next yacht job would be his last, Lane and his wife hired on as Chef and Head Stewardess aboard M/Y Lazy Z, a 170' charter boat. "We had a 12 member crew, and stayed with the boat for one year. It was a great life, but by the end, I knew I was ready to set foot on dry land."

Home port for Lane is now East Hampton, New York where he is a Private Chef and Estate Manager for a New York billionaire. Lane and his wife live on the estate when the owner is in the Hamptons during the summer; they spend their winter months at the owner's home in Aspen, Colorado.

"It's been a remarkable experience. I'm 33 years old. I've seen so much of the world, which was my goal when I left Sierra Mar. Looking ahead, there's still that big world out there, with so much more to see and do. Eventually, my wife and I would like to open a sustainable organic local market somewhere in Washington State. The opportunities seem almost limitless."

Lane's Advice to NECI Students...

"Don't forget to do what you love to do; you went into cooking because you loved it. If you don't like working in restaurants, change what you're doing, because with a culinary degree, you can do so many different things and still make money. Above all, explore the world, travel. Don't be afraid to work overseas, you'll learn an amazing number of things. The world is big and travel is most important, especially for a cook."

Because You Asked...

Lane was curious about Chef David Hale, who gave this update...

I am thrilled to see what Lane is up to and the things he has done in his career and his life. As for what I have been up to... The students finally drove me from the kitchen...Just kidding! Seeking more balance in my life, I moved to the Director of Career Services position after seven years as Executive Chef. People ask if I miss the cooking, and indeed I do. I am still teaching, bringing my special frenetic (some of you may recall it as more chaotic) style to professional development classes. I still can have an impact on the students while having more consistent time with my family. It is all about my boys; Eli and Gage. Libby and I are very involved in the Cabot School and our community. I have been coaching JV basketball, torturing a completely different group of people, and just recently started to pursue a lifelong ambition: learning to play guitar. To all alumni; please stay in touch and let us know how we can help you and if you are willing to speak with students about your experiences. The NECI network is vast but we need to strengthen the ties. Be great and be happy!

Rick Boyer, Anna Grunewald and Michel LeBorgne

Alumni in the southeast had the opportunity to visit with Chef Michel and Annemarie LeBorgne in July. Alumni breakfasts were held in Birmingham, Al, Charleston, SC and Asheville, NC. The regional hosts were Rebecca Corretti (1986 Culinary) and Annette Weaver (1987 Culinary) in Birmingham, Rick Boyer (1993 Culinary) at the Biltmore in Asheville, and Andrew Hunter, a NECI Mod 4 on internship at Tristan in Charleston.

Alumni who attended included Gino Gabriel (1999 Culinary, who flew in from Fort Lauderdale), Glenn Weaver (1987 Culinary), Chris Geloneck (1993 Culinary), Tom Longshore (1990 Culinary), Chris Vizzina (1998 Culinary), Rob McDaniel (2004 Culinary), Drew Robinson (2000 Culinary), and Geoffrey Slate (1992 Culinary). Also Anna Toole Grunewald (1985 Culinary), William Klein (1999 Culinary), Casey Glowacki (1997 Culinary) and Patty and Eric Nye (2002 Culinary). Daniel Schillinger (Mod 4 Culinary) and Paulette De La Rosa (Mod 4 Baking and Pastry), both interns at Tristan, also participated.

Several alumni connected at the trade show of the ACF National Conference in Orlando. Stopping by the NECI booth were Fred Heurtin (1997 Culinary), Caroline Freitas (1990 Culinary), Jessica Raia Long (2001 Culinary), Brian O'Malley (2002 BA Food and Bev Mgt), and Tim Klauder (1984 Culinary).

And, as Chef Marcus Hamblett has made his way westward, he has visited NECI alumni while staging. The first stop was 555 in Portland, Maine, working alongside Steve Correy. Thomas Johnson (2006 Culinary) and his wife stopped in to say hello. Andrew Skalaban, a NECI intern at Harraseeket Inn in Freeport, joined the Hambletts for a lobster cookout at their trailer. From Portland, Maine to Boston, with a stage at L'Espalier thanks to Mike Geldart (2001 Culinary), Chef Marcus is currently in Minneapolis, visiting Dan Zelle (2005 Culinary) at Northwestern Fruit Company. To read a more detailed posting about the road trip, visit the blog at neci.wordpress.com

The American Culinary Federation is the largest chefs organization in the world (www.acfchefs.org). In 2005, Chef Dina Altieri and Chef Jean Yves Vendeville collaborated to start NECI's chapter, encouraging students and alumni to become active or junior members. The NECI chapter meets monthly and supports junior teams, both in culinary competitions and the Knowledge Bowl. (See this month's article on the First Place standing of our Knowledge Bowl team at the Orlando national competition!) Involvement in the organization provides members the opportunity to network, attend conferences, and pursue certification. If you would like to be on the mailing list and receive more information, email Chef Dina at dinaaltieri-at-neci.edu.

1984
Marc Fitzgerald called in with an update from Hoosum, WA and an invitation for Chef Michel and alumni to visit his restaurant, Hoobas. He strongly recommends an October visit, just in time for the grape harvest!

1990
LOOKING FOR DAVID COX! Charlie Ayers emailed NECI asking about David Cox (Montpelier Culinary). Charlie and David worked together at Left at Albuquerque. Charlie is opening a restaurant next year and wants David's help. If anyone has contact with David, have him get in touch at charlie.ayers-at-gmail.com

1992
Geoffrey Slate (Culinary Montpelier) is co-owner of Icon Restaurant and Bar in Birmingham AL, which was recently featured in an article of birminghammenus.com. The restaurant is located in the Tutwiler hotel and according to the article, brings NYC style and life to Birmingham's downtown area.

Ronit Penso (Montpelier Culinary) emailed from Israel to update us on her work over the past several years. After leaving NECI she worked as a private chef in the Hamptons, which enabled her to travel to Canada, New Zealand, Greece and Turkey. She returned to Israel two years ago, wrote about food and culinary history, and was co-editor of the food section in Israel's leading women's weekly magazine. She is now a freelance food journalist with several newspapers and magazines, and has finished her first cookbook, to be published in November.

1993
In 2006 Andrew Machanic (Montpelier Culinary) joined the Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch in the Sawtooth Mountains as chef. The Ranch was featured in a July 7th article in the Idaho Mountain Express, and is described as one of the "gems in the heart of the Sawtooth Valley." It's obvious that one of the attractions is Andrew's "exquisitely created dishes."

1994
David Hughes (Montpelier Culinary) sent a flier, inviting guests to join him on a seven day Caribbean Culinary Cruise onboard MS WESTERDAM. He will teach guests to cook while they taste premium wines, cruising the Caribbean in luxury! For more information, call 804-672-0209.

Kelly Gentry (Essex Culinary) recently wrote Chef Michel to keep in touch. After working in Napa and San Francisco, she returned home to VA. Six years ago she left the restaurant world and opened a retail store where she sells vintage home furnishings and architectural elements. She goes to wholesale auctions in NJ, buys furniture, and sells it in her store. She has received national press from Cottage Living and Architectural Digest.

1995
Karen Weber (Essex Culinary) stopped in from Sacramento, CA while attending a meeting in Boston, en route to the Finger Lakes region in NY. She is the campus director for a culinary school, Kitchen Academy.

Paul Rocque (Essex Culinary) is currently an instructor at the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena and teaches their Le Cordon Bleu Patisserie program.

1998
Scott Myers (Montpelier Culinary) was welcomed by the Flat Creek Lodge in Swainsboro, GA as their new chef and was featured in an article in The Blade Plus. Scott was an active member of Vermont Fresh Network, and his interest in utilizing local products continues. This 2,000 acre property is a hunting / fishing resort and spa, stocking quail, pheasant, deer, boar, bass and catfish; all ingredients which will be featured in Scott's menus!

Terrie Kohl (Essex Culinary) is owner/instructor of Country Club Market, offering customized catering and culinary arts classes in Clive, IA. She offers group hands on classes as well as demonstration classes. Menu themes are diverse, ranging from Grilling Easy to Tastes from a Tuscan Kitchen to Adventures of an Asian Food Lover! www.countryclubmkt.com

Rick LaPointe (Essex Culinary) and The Very Book Mobile was featured in a Salt Lake Tribune article. This traveling library of cookbooks has begun appearing at local farmers markets. The collection numbers about 6,000 cookbooks picked up at yard sales, discount bins, and through the Internet. Besides running the used cookbook business, Rick also runs his own catering company, The Very Food Company.

Claire (Jessica) Menck (Essex Culinary) is a Chef/Instructor at NECI's Essex campus. She teaches in both the AOS and BA Culinary programs. In June she was awarded the Catherine Brandel Fellowship in sustainability from Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. This sent her on a three week trip to California to stage at Chez Panisse; she also spent time at Full Belly Farm, and a week at the CIA Greystone's Master Class in Ingredients. She has been asked to lead a panel on sustainability at the WCR National Conference in Rhode Island this year. She is a doctoral student at Antioch University.

1999
Josh Short (Montpelier Culinary) was featured in the Washingtonian.com column, Kitchen Favorites: Buzz Pastry Chef Josh Short. Having spent two years at the From Scratch Bakery in Charlottesville, VA with owner Erika Hall (also 1999 Montpelier Culinary), he returned to the DC area to much fanfare. The article identifies some of his favorite desserts, and the only one that raised eyebrows was his favorite ice cream: soft serve vanilla ice cream with really good olive oil drizzled on it, and sea salt! Josh, you'll have to let us know if that was a typo!

2000
Aron Gonsalves (Cert in Basic Cooking) works as a fish broker for Hawaiian fresh seafood, a local company in Hawaii that specializes in shipping day caught fish all over the US to restaurants. The Ahi and Sea Bass served at Chef's Table comes from him!

2001
Jessica Raia-Long, chef/owner of The NoHo Bistro and Catering, wrote in that NoHo had made it into the semi-finalist round of Small Business of the Year Awards in Tampa, FL. Good luck, Jessica; let us know how you progress!

Christopher Bradley (Essex Culinary) is Executive Chef at Ardeo in the Cleveland Park area of Washington, DC. He told us that he spent six weeks eating in Spain!

2002
Matthew O'Connor (Essex Culinary) is working at Coccadotts Cake Shop in Albany NY. Cakes for all occasions... "simple and crazy, we do it all!" www.coccadotts.com

Kenyon (Eric) Nye (Montpelier Culinary) is the pastry chef/AM Kitchen Manager at Louis' at Pawleys in South Carolina.

Brian O'Malley (BA Food & Beverage Mgt) and his wife, Krista (Erxleben) O'Malley (2005 BA Food & Beverage Mgt) have a beautiful 18 month old daughter, Marin, and are expecting a second child in September. Brian is chef/instructor at Manhattan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska and helped NECI's Knowledge Bowl Team celebrate in style after the ACF win in July!


2003
Lucy Damkoehler (Montpelier Culinary) emailed pictures of her gorgeous desserts! She is currently pastry chef at Andaluca Restaurant in Seattle, WA, met Jonathan Sundstrom (1989 Montpelier Culinary) this summer and was invited to Lark Restaurant for a local salmon fishing lunch.

Shane Baird (Essex Culinary) is moving from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas around October 20th. He would like to network with other NECI alumni there. Feel free to contact him at necishane-at-yahoo.com (When Chef Michel heard this news, he immediately began planning his fall trip to the Western states. "This guy can cook," he asserted!)


2005
Alex Kahle (Culinary Essex) stopped in at School Street and Harris Hall to say hi to Chef David Hale, Dawn Hayward and the Admissions staff. He is very eager to help recruit future students in Costa Rica (and we're all willing to make the trip to help him!)


2006
Christopher Birdsell called in with a plea for help. Driving home from work one night, he swerved to avoid a deer and slid his motorcycle into a ditch. He broke his neck in two places and will be out of work for six weeks. Christoper lives in Eugene Oregon. If you can help, please contact him at 541-570-5530 or at chrismbird-at-hotmail.com.

Thomas Johnson (Culinary Essex) is currently Sous Chef running the Broad Arrow Tavern at the Harraseeket Inn in Freeport, Maine. He recently traveled to Maryland and appeared on the cooking program Fretz Kitchen. (He mentioned NECI, Chef Louise and Chef Dina during the program! Now, that's PR!) Tom's entries at a food and wine festival in Portland ME received awards for People's Choice: Most Decadent Food and Judge's Choice: Best Appetizer (cornmeal crusted oysters on the half shell with spicy remoulade) and Best Entrée (braised cabbage and apple stuffed port with sweet potato puree, cider beurre blanc and cranberry apple walnut chutney).

Michael Tate (Montpelier Culinary) is the Pasta man at Primo in Rockland, ME. He's been there three years, including his second internship. Michael was a career changer, having spent 15 years in the printing industry. Primo has four acres of gardens, five little pigs to help with composting (and future sausage, prosciutto, bacon and pancetta!). www.primorestaurant.com

2007
Seth Anderson-Oberman (Essex Culinary) wrote in about his involvement with a cookbook project. A Vermont restaurant interested in publishing a cookbook contacted him for help in scaling down and testing 150 recipes for home kitchen preparation.

Ari Slatkin (Montpelier Culinary and currently in BA Hospitality and Restaurant Mgt) emailed Chef Bryan Severns about his adventures in Bangkok! He is currently on internship as Sous Chef for Chef Robert Danhi, writing a book on the Flavors of South East Asia to be released in a year. He recently went to Thailand to work with Chef David Thompson, an authority on Thai cooking and culture. While in Bangkok, he had the opportunity to make sausage balls from beginning to end and received kudos from Chef Thompson. www.chefdanhi.com