Message from the President
I am honored to be able to announce that for the first time in the history of New England Culinary Institute, a new President has been hired. Dr. Robert "Skip" Myers will join us starting on January 4, 2010 and I’m certain he will soon want to meet as many of you as possible.
While Dr. Myers may not have formal training as a chef, he does have a discerning palate and brings a great deal of experience as a higher education administrator. His résumé includes nine years in various key administrative roles at the University System of Maryland as well as Chancellor of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide and, most recently, President of Daniel Webster College. It should also be noted, that to his credit, Dr. Myers survived a rigorous interview process here at NECI, meeting with staff, faculty and students over the course of two days. He was also extensively interviewed by the board of directors which, as you may recall, includes two alumni members, Jeff Miller and Jessica Raia-Long.
The plan over the balance of the fiscal year (ending May 31) is to allow Dr. Myers to assume his responsibilities as he learns all about the unique learning institution that is NECI. It is thought that he will be managing NECI day-to-day by June, 2010. At the request of the Board I will remain as NECI's C.E.O. for awhile longer.
I would be remiss if I did not also mention an addition to the NECI Board. Many recent graduates know Dick Flies who was hired as our vice president for education and most recently served as executive vice president—functioning as the college's chief operating officer. Dick fills the "education" seat on the board and replaces Ray McNulty, a nationally recognized leader in vocational education. Dick brings an extensive professional knowledge of vocational education as well as in-depth knowledge of the operations of NECI. (He is also able to bring the perspective of one who was born into a family of restaurant operators.)
Good leadership is a critical component for the successful evolution of any entity and the arrival of Dr. Myers marks a significant turning point in the history of NECI. With the help of many loyal alumni, he has an opportunity to bring the college to a new level.
The New Year will be a very exciting one for New England Culinary Institute with a new president and the culinary college concept paving a new direction. I hope that you are as optimistic about its future as I am.
Let me close by wishing each of you the best for the holidays and through the New Year.
Happy Holidays!
Best wishes,
Fran
Letter from your Alumni Association President
I hope that this message finds all of you well and in the holiday spirit.
As we bring 2009 to a close, I am proud of the work that your NECI Alumni Association Board of Directors has been able to achieve this year. With nearly 30 alumni making calls as Alumni Ambassadors to externs across the country, we are strengthening our network and over time I see a vast community of NECI alumni working to help each other personally and professionally.
But there are bigger plans in store for 2010. We will be sponsoring Potluck Dinners and have plans for several events for next year. But most of all, we are looking to the 30th Anniversary of NECI where we will have a great reunion planned for August 2010. I will have more to report in upcoming newsletters as we have a slate of events and activities planned for the alumni in 2010. But we cannot do this without the help of individuals like you.
That is why I am asking you to consider sharing your talents to help strengthen the Alumni Association. We are always looking for individuals who would like to help. You can do this by making phone calls to externs, hosting an event or simply making a donation to the scholarship fund.
During this special time of year, I know that we are all bombarded with solicitations to donate time or money. But if you are going to give, please consider NECI. Just last month in my article, I spoke about being an owner instead of a renter in your school. Are you someone that simply uses your NECI background when it best suits you? I am sure most of us do. But I strongly believe that if we can give back as a community without the thought of "what is in it for me" then all boats rise. And isn't that what this special time of year is really about?
Please have a safe and happy holiday season and I look forward to a great 2010!
Warm Regards,
Orrick Nepomuceno
Essex 1996
I have just completed my first full year at NECI and it's been a busy one for the Alumni Relations Office. I've had the wonderful opportunity to meet so many alumni, whether it's been on your stomping grounds, or here in Montpelier. I always consider it a great day when I get a call from the reception desk saying, "an alumnus has come by and would like to say hi." I drop whatever I am doing, sweep up a few goodies I have tucked in my office and head downstairs to chat.
The new year is almost here and many of us are going through the time honored ritual of making New Year's Resolutions. Who hasn't declared, on January 1st, to quit smoking, lose weight, to work less and play more, or to find time to spend with family or friends? And by February 1st, our resolutions are forgotten and life goes on.
But I know a resolution that won't be too hard to keep, and it will make you feel great! This year, resolve to STAY CONNECTED WITH NECI! There are so many ways you can do this:
- read the alumni newsletter (see you're already doing step one!)
- email or call me with your news and updates
- refer a potential student to NECI and give away a $1,000 Next Generation Scholarship
- volunteer to visit area schools and attend college fairs
- get involved with the NECI Alumni Association
- attend alumni events, including a Potluck Dinner in March or the 30th Anniversary Reunion this summer!
NECI has finished 2009 strong and I am looking forward to an exciting 2010, to be topped off with our 30th Anniversary celebration. Whether you graduated in 1982 or 2009 I love to hear what paths you have traveled and where you have landed. So, make STAYING CONNECTED WITH NECI your resolution for 2010. It will be easy and fun to keep!
Line Cook to Sous Chef, How to Make it From the Beginning
Todd MacDonald (AOS Culinary Arts 1997) is a midwestern boy from Minneapolis who grew up in a foodie family. His mom was a great cook and his dad, who loved food and wine, made sure it was a constant part of their life. Todd remembers a family trip to New York City when he was eight years old. The family, wanting to expose Todd to fine dining, ate at Lutece one evening! Not only did he behave, but he realized how wonderful food could be. Todd started helping mom in the kitchen and found a cooking job at age 15 in a little Italian joint in town.
But Todd considered himself an artist. Cooking was a way to make money, but never a career. He decided to major in Art and attended a college in the area. It didn't take long for Todd to realize that college wasn't for him. After one year he dropped out and decided to translate his art abilities to the culinary field. After some research of schools, Todd decided on NECI as being the school that would challenge him the most.
NECI provided Todd with a rewarding and traditional college experience. There wasn't a lot to do in Montpelier in the mid 90's so he spent a lot of time cooking on the weekends. He loved preparing survival meals and remembers a particular pig roast that was a lot of fun. Todd also experimented with home brew, which sparked an interest in food and beverage pairings.
His first internship took him back to Minneapolis to work at Goodfellow's Restaurant. When it came time to look for a second internship, Todd was ready to break out of his comfort zone. He moved to San Francisco to work in an entry level position at Hawthorne Lane. It was a great place to start as he was able to get pastry experience as well as learn extensively from their charcuterie program. This was the start of Todd's modus operandi - start at the beginning, soak up everything he could learn, grow with the organization then move on.
When the internship was over, Todd headed to LuLu's Bistro where he went from cook to Sous Chef at the age of 21. What a challenge! Making a leap into a management role so young made Todd work extra hard to learn and practice all the skills that he would need for the future.
After three years, Todd moved to Boston to cook for Chef Ken Oringer at Clio. Though he started off, again, as a cook, it was a fun time to be at Clio. Todd's employment pattern continued when he was appointed as Chef Oringer's Sous Chef. While he was there Chef Oringer won the James Beard award for Best Chef in the Northeast and worked on all sorts of interesting and special dinners. A particularly memorable event was attending a gourmet summit in Thailand where Todd helped prepare a meal for the princess.
Todd always wanted to end up in New York City and work at the most rigorous restaurants in the industry. Ready for the challenge, Todd went to work at Bouley. It was here that he met Shea Gallante who left Bouley to open Cru Restaurant. Shea asked Todd to join him as his right hand man. The two men traveled to Italy and Spain to conduct research for their menu and to develop their concept for the restaurant. Though a restaurant had stood in the location for years, they completely overhauled the place, bringing in new equipment and updating everything. Todd spent four years as Sous Chef at Cru helping to establish the restaurant. Cru is known for having the largest wine list in New York City and one of the largest in the country.
Finally, Todd decided he needed a break from the restaurant business. After years of crazy hours, he left to work for a boutique catering company in Tribeca. It was a wonderful experience and gave him the chance to learn a completely different facet of the industry.
Just eight weeks ago, Todd got a call from Cru. Chef Gallante had left to return to Bouley's and the sous chef wasn't working out. Would Todd be interested in returning to Cru as Executive Chef and Partner? He could completely rethink the restaurant, making it his own. Wine would continue to be the focus but Todd could recreate the menu with more accessible and wine-friendly entrees.
Todd jumped and has been hard at work for the past month. He completely rewrote the menu in six days and gives significant kudos to his new staff! The menu has a more traditional, French country flair with tastes that blend well with the extensive wines available. Todd admits this has been a life changing experience but he couldn't be more excited!
When asked what advice he would give to NECI students, Todd observed that many of the recent New York culinary school graduates don't seem to want to put the work in to be successful. They have an expectation to be made sous chef right out of the gate. To really make it, you must put your head down and do what you need to do to work in the places you love. By being a sponge for a few good years you will gain the important foundation that you need to really make it. Over and over Todd took cook positions at restaurants where he wanted to work. Soon enough he would prove himself and move into the sous chef position. But he had to start at the beginning.
Become An Alumni Ambassador and Make a Difference!
Have you been thinking about getting involved with the Alumni Association? Now is your chance. Consider becoming an Alumni Ambassador! The goal of this program, started by the NECI Alumni Association, is to reach out to new interns and recent graduates to welcome them to the area, answer questions and encourage students to return and complete their NECI degree. There are currently 28 alumni who have volunteered to make phone calls. Our goal is to have alumni participating from every state. Ambassadors are asked to make 2-4 phone calls, approximately four times a year.
Check out where our Ambassadors are on our Ambassador Google Map.
Thank you to all our Alumni Ambassadors who have helped get this program started!
Charles de Varennes (Montpelier 1993) Quincy, MA
Chris Edelman (Montpelier 1994) Boston, MA
Scott Hunt (Montpelier 1992) Beverly, MA
Matthew Meninger (Essex 2005) Malden, MA
Michael Rhoads (Montpelier 1999) Framingham, MA
Danielle Sprague (Essex 2006) Fitchburg, MA
Joseph Mazza (Essex 2002) North Adams, MA
Joshua Duda (Essex 1996) Quechee, VT
Andrew Thorne (Essex 2007) Portsmouth, NH
Megan Walsh (Essex 2008) Portsmouth, NH
Pamela Wilkins (Essex, 1992) Providence, RI
Marsha Hyatt (Montpelier 1992) Asheton, VA
Jose Marty (Essex 1996) Reston, VA
Brad Rice (Essex 2000) Wilmington, NC
Korey Konopasek (Montpelier 1998) Jacksonville, FL
Drew Robinson (Montpelier 2000) Birmingham, AL
Cybil Talley (Montpelier 2000) Atlanta, GA
Michael Levy (Montpelier 1999) Kansas City, KS
Paul Lynch (Essex 1990) Minneapolis, MN
Steve Fralin (Montpelier 1991) Jackson, WY
Paul Hildner (Montpelier 2000) Riverton, WY
Orrick Nepomuceno (Essex 1996) Centennial, CO
Chris Frothingham (Montpelier 2001) Seattle, WA
Amanda Robledo (Montpelier 2002) Los Angeles, CA
Hunter Satterwhite (Montpelier 2000) Los Angeles, CA
But we need more people! Ambassadors are needed in the following states:
Connecticut, New York, Maine, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, South Carolina, District of Columbia, Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Oregon, Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii
If you are interested in volunteering, contact:
Hunter Satterwhite
Orrick Nepomuceno
Karen Nevin
You'll be glad you got involved!
Order Online and Give Back to NECI!
Still picking up some last minute gifts? Have you decided to do all of your shopping online this year? Don't forget to go to NECI's Amazon Associate's store to make your purchases. A portion of the sales from ANYTHING purchased at Amazon will benefit the NECI Scholarship Fund. Click the "powered by Amazon.com" icon to start your shopping!
Thank you and Happy Holidays!
NECI Takes Second Place at Stonehurst Manor Gingerbread House Contest
NECI's Executive Pastry Chef, Adrian Westrope, won second place and $1,000 with his creation of a Victorian marketplace featuring carolers on the street corner, a produce stand and a rooftop gingerbread Santa's sleigh and reindeer. The competition took place on December 1st at the Stonehurst Manor in North Conway, NH. Fifteen chefs and bakers from around New England entered to compete for $5,000 in cash prizes. First prize was won by former NECI instructor Jennifer Toce of Birchgrove Baking in Montpelier.
Chef Adrian shared that there was a wide variety of pieces ranging from a dollhouse to a castle. "It was a great evening with everyone exchanging ideas and tips for the next creation."
WANTED: NECI Internship Sites!
Do you own your own restaurant or work at a restaurant that would appreciate the talent and knowledge of a NECI intern? NECI's Career Services is in the process of planning our 2010 Winter Career Fair and would love to see you there. The dates are January 31 - February 1, 2010 on the Montpelier Campus. If you are interested in receiving more information and an invitation, please contact the Career Services Department at careerservices-at-neci.edu.
What's Coming Up at NECI?
Check out the Alumni Calendar to see all that is going on at NECI. Here are some highlights!
December 31, 2009 - NECI at the James Beard House
February 1, 2010 - NECI Winter Career Fair
March 4, 5, 6, 7, 2010 - NECI Alumni Potluck Dinners
Do you have an event you want to share with your classmates? If so, submit it to be put on the NECI Alumni Calendar: Submit to Alumni Calendar.
We had quite a showing on Mother Natures Network's 40 Chefs Under 40 list recently published. In their words, "These rising young culinary stars bring more than just good food to the table -- they link farms to forks and promote better health for people and the planet."
NECI alumni honored are:
Shannon Galusha (1998 AOS Culinary), Executive Chef, Bastille Café & Bar, Seattle, WA.
Aaron Millon (1999 Culinary), Chef/Owner, Restaurant Phoebe, Montpelier, VT.
Adam Cooke (2006 AOS Culinary), Chef de Cuisine, the Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, TX.
See the complete list HERE.
Congratulations everyone!
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My inbox has been mighty quiet this past month. I want to share what everyone is up to but I can't unless you email me! To keep everyone posted, send me an email at karen.nevin-at-neci.edu and tell me what's going on. I love to hear from you and promise your news will be included in the next newsletter! Don't forget to send photos!
2006
Adam Cooke (AOS Culinary) was recently honored on Mother Nature Network's 40 Chefs under 40 list of chefs to watch. Adam is the Chef de cuisine at the Barn at Blackberry Farm in Walland, TX.
2001
Craig Barlow (AOS Culinary Arts) is the new Executive Chef at Meadowbrook Country Club in Kilgore, TX. He was recently profiled in the local newspaper. You can read the profile HERE.
Gavin Kaysen (AOS Culinary, 2003 BA Food & Bev Mgmt) prepared a holiday brunch with a French twist at De Gustibus Cooking School at Macy's in New York City on December 6th. Gavin is the Executive Chef at Café Boulud.
1999
Aaron Millon (Culinary Arts) was recently honored on Mother Nature Network's 40 Chefs under 40 list of chefs to watch. Aaron is the Chef/Owner of Restaurant Phoebe in Montpelier, VT.
1998
Shannon Galusha (AOS Culinary) was recently honored on Mother Nature Network's 40 Chefs under 40 list of chefs to watch. Shannon is the Executive Chef at Bastille Café & Bar in Seattle, WA.
Mark Molinaro (AOS Culinary) presented at the Vermont Humanities Council's 36th fall conference "Food for Thought." Mark's workshop was called "The Five Tastes". Mark is Director of Career Services at NECI.
1997
Kevin Kathman (Culinary Arts) is the Executive Chef of Restaurant Max in Minneapolis. Kevin was recently interviewed by Minnesota Moms. You can check out the interview HERE.
J.J. Stewart (AOS Culinary) is the head chef and partner of Fiddleheads Bar and Grill in Perth Ontario. J.J. emphasizes locally produced foods. He was recently asked the question "What's the key to good cooking?" You can read J.J.'s response and a complete profile on his restaurant HERE.
1996
Edwin Caba (AOS Culinary) is owner and head chef for CreoLa, a New Orleans Bistro in San Carlos, CA. Chef Edwin and his restaurant was recently profiled online. You can read the profile HERE.
1994
Kevin Brown (AOS Culinary, 2009 BA Food & Bev Mgt) is launching a culinary series at Nicolet College Library in Wisconsin. The series, which is open tot he public, will feature cooking demonstrations and a primer on knife sharpening. Kevin is a culinary instructor at Nicolet College.
1991
Al Brown (AOS Culinary Arts) recently extolled the virtues of his carbon steel knives. Al remembers learning about the knives from Chef Michel and became a convert. Al is the Chef/Owner of Logan Brown in New Zealand. You can read about Al and his knives HERE.
Alumni who received more than one degree are listed by year of their first degree. Those who attended but did not graduate are listed under the year they would have graduated; or in some cases, the last year they attended. If you have changed your address, have a new job or have other news to share, let us know! www.necialumni.com
Editor: Karen Nevin, Director of Alumni Relations
56 College Street, Montpelier, VT 05602
(802) 225-3232, karen.nevin-at-neci.edu
