Message from the President
It is no secret that the NECI, along with industries and institutions throughout the country and, in fact, throughout the world, have been required to conduct serious reassessments of themselves and their business models as they respond to continuing economic realities. For us, the major challenge of those realities became most apparent last September in the area of student enrollments. Increasingly, we heard from parents and prospective students who said they could no longer find the funds necessary to finance their education. Or, in some cases, they were unwilling to go into debt when they felt insecure about their own means of income. It was a difficult message to hear, but one that we heard repeatedly.
Clearly, we were not alone. As the country moves from a society marked by conspicuous consumption and increasing reliance on debt to one more focused on conscious improvements in productivity and greater financial discipline, the game is changing dramatically for virtually all businesses and institutions.
Many of the key strategies that NECI has employed during the past half year have reflected the need to reinvent ourselves, not by giving up that which has long defined and distinguished us, but by reconsidering how we can most efficiently invest our resources and best serve the needs of current and future students. Among the changes that have occurred include a significant reduction in employees, a reduction in the number of very small classes, and the unification of our campuses. The strategies have also included investments as well as savings, most notably in a new approach to admissions and the launch of a culinary college.
And how are we doing? Let me begin with the area of admissions. With the late starts in July, we are anticipating right now that we will not be far below the projections that were made a year ago. September admissions numbers are also looking good.
The culinary college concept should provide an exciting umbrella for a host of new educational endeavors that will distinguish NECI beyond the small classes and hands-on training for which we are known throughout the country. Several groups of faculty and administrators are hard at work right now determining and designing the scope and focus of those new endeavors. A report on the culinary college will be presented to the Board during its next meeting in mid-July.
We think the unification of the campuses, while initially painful in many ways, is very positive for NECI. It encourages a level of collaboration among members of the faculty that was often simply not possible in the past. Having all the students on one campus will also make it much easier to offer a greater variety of student life activities that can involve all NECI associates.
By fall, we believe NECI will have turned an important corner. We will be clearly on the way to becoming an institution that is more educationally varied and intrinsically cohesive than we have been at any time in our entire history. In addition, we believe that NECI's financial situation will be solid and that the most difficult of our economic challenges will have been addressed.
I genuinely consider this to be an uncommonly exciting time in NECI's history, and that we all have a wonderful opportunity to be part of – and contributors to – the vitality and growth of this dynamic institution.
All the best,
Fran
Letter from your Alumni Association President
Calling All Alumni
Since I took over as President of the Alumni Association a year ago, our plan has always been to build an organization with future growth and sustainability in mind. Many have approached me with interest in getting more involved with the Alumni Association and I am proud to say that many fellow alumni have taken up the call to action by participating in the Ambassador Program.
But as we look to who will become the future leaders of the organization, we need to begin the process of actively pursuing those who want to become members of the Board of Directors for the Alumni Association. We are looking for individuals who are not only willing to volunteer time and expertise to the Board, but also take a active role in the Association to help engage our alumni community.
Over the course of the next couple of months, the newsletter will have more specific details for the nomination process. If you have any specific questions about expectations and requirements to be a member of the Board of Directors, please feel free to contact me at orrick-at-dickwray.com or call me at 919-845-0805.
Regards,
Orrick Nepomuceno
Essex 1996
Michael Rhoads is not an easy man to reach. But that's understandable -- he's hard at work making the daily bread. Michael started working in kitchens back in his college days in Missoula, Montana. He didn't like college, but he liked working. As a kitchen manager he worked hard, but something wasn't right. Michael noticed that the person in the kitchen who had a CIA degree wasn't getting pushed around, whereas he was. He didn't like being taken advantage of and soon figured out that with a little knowledge and education he could turn the tables and be in control.
Michael knew exactly what he was looking for in a culinary school. Low teacher to student ratio - he wanted to work, not sit around and listen. He found NECI in an advertisement in the back of Bon Appetit magazine. There it was -- a 7-1 student-teacher ratio. Michael was sold, sight unseen.
Michael laughs when he remembers the recruitment process. He didn't have a phone back then, so he gave out the number of a friend. Every time Mary Beth Rowe called, she had to wait patiently while his friend ran down the street to get him! He figured if NECI was that patient with a prospective student, then they must have wanted him.
Vermont is a beautiful place, but that wasn't what was driving Michael. He had goal and he set out to achieve it. Every minute he spent at NECI was to maximize his learning. Unlike his first try at college, this time he was the one footing the bill for his education. And he wasn't going to waste his time or money. So Michael filled his time in the classroom, helping out in the kitchens, volunteering, and doing every extra task to get as much out of the experience as possible.
Though Michael had spent time before arriving at NECI learning to bake bread from Alan Scott, he was focused on the culinary arts. It seemed to Michael that he hit the jackpot in the classroom. During his first year he worked with Chef Laureen Gauthier in pastries, Chef David Hale at the Chef's Table and of course, Chef Michel LeBorgne. What a team to learn from!
Michael spent his internships honing his skills in the kitchen. His first internship was at L'Espalier, where the chef was notoriously crazy. His second internship was at the Inn at Little Washington where he set his sights on a particular customer who became his lovely wife, Jen! One morning at the Inn at Little Washington the overnight baker did not show up. The owner went through the stack of resumes he had on his desk and found one listing bread baking experience - Michael was sent home to sleep and told to report back at 11:00 p.m. Michael stuck around for 10 months doing their baking and pastries!
But he didn't think that was where his future lay - so he headed to California and The French Laundry. They promptly offered him the Pastry position - which he turned down. Instead Michael worked on the line. It didn't take him long to realize that being on the line meant constant pressure and being yelled at all night long. He had made a mistake and now had to figure out how to get out of it.
Michael met up with Frank McLellan who was starting a new restaurant in Boston, Sel de la Terre. Frank wanted the restaurant to be bread intensive - the bread would be a star every night. Michael was flown into Boston to help design the bread and pastry menus. They decided to start selling the breads wholesale at the restaurant. Michael was now in the bread baking business. In fact, the bread was known around Boston as the "Michael Rhoads bread".
At a certain point Michael knew he had done as much as he could at Sel de la Terre. He wanted to develop a retail element to the bread baking business, but that wasn't the direction the restaurant wanted to go. So, while he worked on his business plan, Michael spent time working as a pastry chef at Via Mata and hanging out with his four year old son.
Soon B+R Artisan Bread was born. Located in Framingham, Massachusetts, Michael opened the wholesale operation with a small retail shop on location - exactly what he wanted. Boston already knew about Michael's bread from Sel de la Terre, so the word got around quickly that he was open for business. In 2008 B+R Artisan bread was recognized as the Best of Boston!
Michael is receiving NECI's 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award! At graduation he plans on sharing with the graduates a few words of wisdom: It is very important to put in your time and if you can, agree to work without pay. Figure out your passion, find someone to teach you and then, ask them if you can work for them - for free. By taking money out of the equation, you are sharing your passion for your work and your true desire to learn. Working with Alan Scott to learn the world of bread baking and wood burning ovens is how Michael learned the specific skills he needed to succeed in the bread baking business. Your education at NECI is just the starting point.
Michael believes that the students are lucky. They have experienced the NECI way. Every three weeks they have had to prove themselves to the instructors as a new class began. They need to take that way of learning and continue to apply it. Take it from Michael - he's been doing it that way all is life.
NECI Alumni Reunion - August 23-25, 2009
Montpelier, Vermont
Check out the 2009 Alumni Reunion Website for information on registration, lodging options and programming. The website will be updated often - make sure you check back!
Enjoy three days of activities including:
- Alumni Banquet
- Reception with President and NECI Instructors
- Panel of Current Students
- Annual Meeting of NECI Alumni Association
- Campus Updates and Tours
- Alumni Demos and Presentations
- Opportunities to network, visit and relax
Family activities include swimming, hiking, biking, golf, spa and the Champlain Valley Fair.
Want to get involved? There are many ways to volunteer as a member of the Reunion Committee:
- help plan events
- help find lost classmates
- contribute to the newsletter and other alumni communications
- share photos
- host a mini-reunion of your block or class
Experience what you loved about NECI - come back to visit Vermont!
Interested? Contact me at karen.nevin-at-neci.edu
Times of Change and Career Services...
by David Hale
Many of you are already aware of my departure from NECI after two different stints totaling 16 years of education and employment. I am leaving with the same energy and care level for NECI that I felt in the spring of 1990 when Libby and I trekked off to Napa. This time my family is staying in Cabot and I will be driving Route 2 in the opposite direction to teach Culinary Arts at St. Johnsbury Academy. This new position is a perfect hybrid of hands-on teaching with a very favorable schedule for my family. I was not seeking a change when this opportunity landed in my inbox, but I was aware of it. This leads into my last bit of formal advice from my Career Services standpoint:
Every place I have moved to in the past twenty years, I have arrived with a job already established. After settling into the work and the area, I looked at a map and drew a circle around the distance I would be willing to drive every day. With this geographic range in mind, I identified all the opportunities within the circle that would be challenging and keep my career moving forward. In Napa, there were countless opportunities (some of those winery gigs are very sweet!). When we moved back to Vermont and lived in Waterbury Center, the circle included Stowe, the Mad River Valley, Burlington and Montpelier. There is some comfort in knowing that a variety of opportunity exists.
When we moved to Cabot and I drew that circle, there were only two places outside of NECI that appealed to me: owning and operating the Cabot Store and teaching at St. Johnsbury Academy. This is not a lot of variety, but it really didn't matter. NECI has always offered opportunity on so many levels.
Whenever you are making a move, be sure to keep your perspective open and do your research beyond the property that hired you. This is not a display of disloyalty; it is the wise thing to do. Quite often, you will find the grass is plenty green where you are standing or something interesting will pique your interest for down the road.
As you gain experience and your personal life evolves, criteria for your professional life will evolve as well. Be prepared for these changes and be sure to keep your eyes wide open. Moving forward you can find me on facebook (shocking to many of you) and please stay in touch. I am now, as always a NECI alumnus, looking to help anyone who has shared our amazing experiences.
Be great, every day! DH
Introducing the new Director of Career Services
by Mark Molinaro, CEC
Director of Career Services
As a fellow alumnus and mentee of Chef Hale I'll start my new role at NECI as Director of Career Services with a big THANK YOU CHEF HALE! Thank you for caring beyond our expectations, thank you for providing your passionate and personal counsel and thank you for bringing it and inspiring us to bring it EVERYDAY. You will be missed and most of us either have or will find your new phone number to see how the Yankees are doing.
As I learn my way around the department, Brenda, Mary Beth, Jonathan and I will work hard to continue the work of examining the student internship experience. To that end I would like to hear from you about what you felt was most valuable about your internship experience. If you feel inspired to share your thoughts about what you found helpful and what was not, please e-mail me at mark.molinaro-at-neci.edu.
NECI Scholarship Fund Update
NECI's First Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament a Success!
Even though the State of Vermont was looking at pouring rain, 44 stalwart NECI friends came out to play in our first NECI Scholarship Golf Tournament at the Links at Lang Farm in Essex, Vermont. And the gods were looking down on us. During the four hours we were playing golf, it rained for only 15 minutes! (the rest of the time it was cold, windy, a little misty, but…it wasn't rain!)
The tournament had many components. The players came from many of the NECI's vendors. We had a raffle where you could win such items as a copy of Chef Michel's new book, a gift box of Cabot Cheese, a gallon of maple syrup, or a round of golf at a local club. And we had a silent auction with items such as an autographed baseball by Jonathan Papelbon, beautiful bottles of wine, or an overnight stay at The Essex.
We held an awards reception afterwards with food beautifully prepared by the students, who came out to meet the players afterwards. Having the students there really brought home the fact that NECI is a school and we are all working hard to help the students attain their dream of a culinary education.
The tournament raised $8,000 for the NECI Scholarship Fund! We have begun planning for the second annual scholarship golf tournament in 2010. And we've begun brainstorming ideas to turn our tournament into the one and only CULINARY Golf Tournament in the state.
If you are interested in holding a fundraising event, let me know!
AMAZON.COM - AFFILIATE PROGRAM
NECI has established itself as an Affiliate of Amazon.com. By becoming an affiliate, we can raise money towards the scholarship fund. Here is how it works. On the NECI and Alumni websites you will find links to Amazon.com. Enter Amazon through this link and a portion of ANYTHING you purchase will be credited to the NECI Scholarship Fund! We have made it easy for you to find NECI's cookbooks, Chef Michel's Memoir and even the student book lists are now linked to Amazon.com! What an easy and fun way to give back to NECI!
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By Mark Molinaro, Director of Career Services
LOOKING FOR A PRIVATE CHEF in Vermont and Florida
Looking for a Chef (individual) or a couple (Chef and Butler) for a private household. Live-in on the property in Vermont and Florida. Some household duties, with day worker assistance. Light meals for husband and wife. Guests from time to time. Outside help for occasional larger dinners for 10-12.
Would consider possible half year employee(s) for Vermont in summer or Florida in winter. We are seeking a career-minded staff or individual.
For more information, contact:
William and Jane Told
tel:802-362-2515
email: jabil1234-at-yahoo.com
HEAD CHEF Position in North Georgia
Looking for a Head Chef for Glen-Ella Springs Inn in north Georgia. This would be the perfect position for a mid-level professional who is interested in working in an Inn in a fairly rural location. The ideal candidate will have previous experience in catering in addition to fine dining experience. A big part of the business comes from special events, weddings, etc. This is a great position for someone who is looking to retreat from the hustle and bustle of any big metropolitan area. There's a job description for your review. Visit www.glenella.com to learn more about the Inn.
For more information, contact:
Ed Kivett
Glen-Ella Springs Inn & Meeting Place
1789 Bear Gap Road
Clarkesville GA 30523
www.glenella.com
ed-at-glenella.com
(706) 754-6381 office
(706) 968-5278 cell
The Vilcek Prize - $25,000 for Outstanding Early Achievement in Culinary Arts
The Vilcek Foundation is seeking candidates for the 2010 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Culinary Arts. The award will go to a young, foreign-born professional in the culinary arts who has made notable contributions to the field at an early stage in his/her career. Chefs, artisans, and innovators are eligible to apply. Applicants must be foreign-born and be 38 years old of younger. In addition, four finalists will be awarded $5,000 each.
The Vilcek Foundation was established to honor the contributions of foreign-born scientists and artists living and working in the United States. The Creative Promise awards program focuses attention on the extraordinary drive, talent, and ingenuity new generations of immigrants bring to our culture, arts and sciences. The application deadline is July 31, 2009.
For more information, or to apply, visit www.vilcek.org
Our new Admissions Specialist, Jim Kennedy met up with Ronald Mantley (AOS Culinary Arts 1992) and Caroline Freitas (AOS Culinary Arts 1990), who are both teaching at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Harwich, MA.
Our Director of Continuing Education, Jennifer McConnell, met with Joshua Duda (AOS Culinary Arts 1996), who is the Executive Chef at Simon Pearce in Quechee, Vermont. She learned that there are at least five NECI alumni working for him! They are: David Weatherman (2005 Culinary Arts), Dillon Owens (2006 Culinary Arts), Eric Lundquist (1998 Culinary Arts), Ryan Martin (2003 AOS Culinary Arts), Erin Judge (2005 AOS Culinary Arts).
Yours truly bumped into Martin Smith (1995 AOS Culinary Arts) who is the new chef at Juniper's Fare in Waterbury, Vermont. We chatted and Martin told me that he had spent the last 3-4 months on research and development to open the new restaurant.
Orrick Nepomuceno, Alumni Association President, met up with Jose Marty (1996 AOS Culinary Arts). Jose is starting a barbecue rub business!
Best New Chef 2009: Barry Maiden
Barry Maiden (AOS Culinary Arts, 2000) has been named one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs of 2009! Barry is the Executive Chef/Owner of Hungery Mother in Cambridge, MA. To read the complete Food & Wine profile, go HERE.
Congratulations Barry!
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Have you been trying to find someone from NECI? Do you want some advice from the legions of NECI alumni? Why don't you use the Alumni Newsletter to get the message out? I am happy to include in the Where Are They Now Notes requests for contact or help. If you want to reach out to the NECI alumni, let me know! Karen
2009
Brian Werling (BA HRM) is happy to report that he is currently working with a successful local restaurateur to develop and launch a new casual dining concept in Albuquerque. Once the restaurant opens in late summer, he will serve as the establishment's General Manager. The Rodeo Grill will feature what he has dubbed "nuevo vaquero chow" -- an eclectic mix of fresh campfire, southwestern and latino cuisines, thick shakes and cold beer.
2008
David Potwin (AOS Baking & Pastry) wrote to give us an update on the recent changes in his life: After wrapping up my 2nd internship at The Grand Del Mar in San Diego I headed back cross country for my NECI graduation last June. Along the way I just so happened to fall for the love of my life, Heather Leonard.
Heather's sister, Kristen Leonard (2008 AOS Baking & Pastry, 2009 BA HRM) was one of my pastry classmates at NECI- Montpelier. While visiting her in Santa Barbara, on a whim- she decided I should talk to her sister thinking we'd make a great couple. We both laughed it off because of the sheer distance between us, with Heather living in Portland, Maine. But soon enough we were emailing and on the phone all the time. So when Heather flew out to help Kristen pack and drive back; I decided to join them on the trip and finally meet her. After our 14 day first date last year, we hit it off and have been together for a year now. I proposed this last Christmas and we have plans to be married in October 2010.
Since graduation I've worked several catering venues in the upper valley including a stint at the Woodstock Farmers Market and finally accepting Assistant Pastry Chef for the Woodstock Inn & Resort. Recently I was offered the position of Pastry Chef at the Chillingsworth Resort in Cape Cod. Their long history of the best fine dining on Cape Cod is definitely the challenge I've been looking for. Heather has also joined the Chillingsworth family running reception & reservations in the Bistro and Fine Dining. Life on the cape is going great so far, and we're looking forward to another award winning season with Pat & Nitzi Rabin at Chillingsworth.
2007
Nathan Gaudreau (AOS Culinary Arts) dropped us a note to say he is now married to his lovely wife, Stacy, and has just gotten back from his Honeymoon in Alaska! Nathan let us know that the views were spectacular and the food (most of the time) was the best -- some of the freshest seafood he has ever had (and he lives in Florida)! The best place they went to was in Telketna, which is a small backwoods town. The Wildflower Inn is home to the former White House chef to George Bush Sr. In less exciting news he reports that he has passed his certification test and is now a Certified Dietary Manager. Congratulations all around Nathan!
Mary Ote (AOS Baking & Pastry) sent us her news. After leaving NECI she worked at the Four Seasons in San Diego. She is now based in Manila, Phillipines where she is a pastry chef consultant and a fulltime instructor at the Center for Culinary Arts Manila. Mary would like to connect with other NECI alumni in Manila and in Asia. If you are interested let us know!
Mike Rocklin (AOS Culinary Arts) wrote to let us know he got married to Sigal in Israel in May! They are planning a ceremony in Jackson Hole this fall but wanted to share some photos in the meantime! Congratulations Mike and Sigal!
Ari Slatkin (AOS Culinary Arts, BA HRM 2008) reported that he was recently in New York City attending the James Beard Foundation awards as Chef Danhi and he were nominated for this year's best cookbook in the international category for "Southeast Asian Flavors." They did not win but says the nomination was an honor and Ari plans on being back. Ari has been traveling starting at the NRA in Chicago and finishing up in Plano Texas with a presentation to Frito Lay concerning the translation of authentic Southeast Asian flavors to the American market. He let us know that he will never forget where he came from.
Ryan Taylor (AOS Culinary Arts) dropped us a note to tell us he has started an e-commerce business in Las Vegas. He is selling Maine lobster retail online. He recently launched the business and has already gotten a great response. Ryan is trying to get the word out. He is currently selling retail to private customers and also selling wholesale to restaurants as well. Check out Ryan's website at: www.seacoastmainelobster.com.
2006
Brannon Fetzer (AOS Culinary Arts) is living in Sonoma, California. She is currently working full time at the Institute of Reading Development as a sales rep and am an on-call chef for Girl and The Fig Catering here in Sonoma.
Bryan Gardner (AOS Culinary Arts) sent us a lengthy update. He lives in Siem Reap, Cambodia and works as the Executive Sous Chef at the Hotel De La Paix. Here is his news:
I have been in Cambodia since leaving Napa Valley, California in the fall of 2007. I began work in Siem Reap in April of 2008 and am a couple of months into my second year. Working and living in a country like Cambodia, which is very far removed from the United States, has been difficult at times, but very rewarding and exciting as well. The people are very warm and working with so many ingredients that are not so common in the west has also been a great learning experience. Siem Reap is perhaps best known for the nearby Angkor Wat temple built around the 12th century and is the showpiece of the ancient Khmer civilization which flourished from around the 9th to 13th century A.D. The Angkorian complex contains literally hundreds of temples and is by far the biggest tourist draw in Cambodia and some might argue in all of South-East Asia.
The executive chef, Joannes Riviere, and I work at the hotel, at the restaurant Meric (which means "pepper" in the Khmer language) putting on a Khmer tasting menu which changes everyday, in addition to a full a la carte menu which is more western/asian fusion oriented with ample French and American touches in addition to utilizing local foods whenever possible. Chef Joannes has been a fantastic resource and mentor during my time here, as he is not only fluent in the Khmer language, but also one of the leading authorities on Cambodian cooking.
My typical day involves puttering around on my motor-bike, visiting local open-air food markets in search for the very best local products before heading back to the restaurant to cook. Cambodia is still getting back on its feet even 20 years after the Khmer Rouge were ousted after their terrible Agrarian Communist dictatorship which saw millions of Cambodians killed for reasons that still escape many. Given that it is still trying to become an established country, sometimes local products (with consistent availability and quality) are very difficult to find and it can be very frustrating having to import so many things. But that said it is getting better slowly but surely.
I look forward to the up-coming year. I hope that more people from everywhere, but particularly my own country, can discover Cambodia and perhaps even come and visit, to experience these rich culinary and cultural traditions for themselves.
Chris Lassy (AOS Culinary Arts) is the new dinner chef at Shelburne Farms Inn.
2005
Andre Moussalli (AOS Culinary Arts) reports that he is working at Etoile at the Domaine Chandon Winery. He says it's a great place to live and to focus on his craft. Andre wanted everyone at NECI to know that he appreciates all that they taught him and for giving him the proper skills. He plans on coming back for a visit soon!
2004
Collin Smelser (AOS Culinary Arts) has been promoted to executive chef at Plate World Cuisine, Colorado Springs. Previously, Collin worked under Craig Hartman when he was executive chef at The Cliff House.
2003
Hilary Schwoegler (BA HRM) sent us an update. She is working for Vermont Butter & Cheese Co. doing occasional demos and working at Red Hen Baking Co.'s new café in Middlesex, Vermont. Hilary says it's a nice schedule that lets her spend plenty of time with the little one at home.
2002
Roger Dean (AOS Culinary Arts) dropped us a note. He is working as a private chef and recently moved to New York state. Roger is planning on visiting Vermont this summer - hey - how about coming August 23-25 for the Alumni Reunion?!!! See you then!
Whitney Flood (AOS Culinary Arts) sent us a quick update. He is happily married to Julie and they have a lovely six month old daughter, Zellia (born on Thanksgiving Day). Whitney is the Chef/Owner of Bon Melange Catering, in Los Angeles, which he runs with his wife and they are having a fabulous time!
Barbara Zumwalt (AOS Culinary Arts) sent us the following note:
I'm doing just fine! I am working for a company called Wegmans, an upscale grocer based in Rochester, NY. (I'm at their first Virginia store.) I work with the Seafood Dept. and have a mini kitchen in the middle of the sales aisle. I cook our featured seafood each day and offer samples to our customers. Our recent featured fish was Wild Caught Alaskan Halibut. We receive fresh fish deliveries seven days a week and none of our products are previously frozen with the exception of our Chilean Sea Bass. Wegmans has won many awards and this year was rated the best supermarket by Consumer Reports and Washington Checkbook magazines. Wegmans is privately owned... never gone public... and has no stockholders to answer to, so the Wegmans family is very innovative and willing to cut profits to try new sales approaches. Our President, Danny Wegman and his two daughters visit each of the 78 stores several times each year and come up to every employee and shake their hand and thank them for their hard work. I love my job, I love the store, I love the company and I love my customers. That about sums it up!
2001
Gavin Kaysen (AOS Culinary Arts) competed on Iron Chef America! He went up against his rival in the Next Iron Chef competition, Chef Michael Symon. Gavin prepared 5 fabulous dishes based on the secret ingredient, Octopus! And won! Congratulations! Chef Michel LeBorgne noted that there were three NECI grads in kitchen stadium that night. Along with the host, Alton Brown, was Brandon Rogers (2008 AOS Culinary Arts) who works with Gavin at Daniel's in New York! Go NECI!
2000
Alistair Fowlie (AOS Culinary Arts) let us know what he is up to: "I have recently taken over a small tearoom right by the Marina in Lossiemouth, in the North East of Scotland. I am basically the co-owner and Chef of what is now the Harbour Lights Cafe & Restaurant (following major refurbishment in November 2008). The holding page for our new website can be viewed at www.theharbour-lights.co.uk. Hopefully our proper website will be up and running by the start of the summer.
We are open daily for anything from a full Scottish Breakfast to a plate of Stovies, bowl of Cullen Skink (both Scottish staples) or a piece of Highland Venison with Cranberry-Red wine Jus. We are also open for a more formal dinner on a Saturday nights and we are hoping to get into outside catering, private functions and various other bits and pieces to keep ourselves busy. The year since we took over has been very busy and business has been good.
My wife Chantall is also there whenever possible and my two girls, Chevall (age 8) & Tamsin (age 4) have even been spotted wrapping portions of Cod & Halibut late at night! Anyone taking a vacation in the North East of Scotland - please stop by for something to eat and drink!
Hunter Satterwhite (AOS Culinary Arts) is unemployed at the moment so he has enrolled in flight school full time! Why don't you fly yourself over to Vermont for the reunion?!!!
Peter Sheedy (AOS Culinary Arts) is the new Executive Chef at The Manor On Golden Pond in New Hampshire. You can read all about his new role HERE
1999
Julie Carrion (AOS Culinary Arts) sent Chef Michel a great note. She moved to Middletown, Connecticut last year and is looking for work. Julie let us know that she got back in touch with Chris Hall and Adam Mosher (both AOS Culinary Arts 1999) through Facebook!
M.G. Farris (AOS Culinary Arts) is the Executive Chef at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia.
Pete Ghione (AOS Culinary Arts) is doing a demonstration at the Chef Live! Healthy Cooking Demonstration in Las Vegas. Pete Ghione is the Executive Chef at Rio's overseeing 18 restaurants and production kitchens. Pete will be demonstrating and preparing a healthy living menu.
Mike Trombetta (AOS Culinary Arts) is keeping busy. He reports that his new business Farm to Belly, Personal Chef Services in Truckee, California, is growing slowly. In addition, he is the Chef Consultant for Bite in Incline Village in Nevada. And the Executive Chef at the Alaska Rendezvous Heli-Ski Lodge in Valdez, Alaska for eleven weeks this spring. Mike is excited to announce that his wife is pregnant with their first child, due in November. Great news! Keep us posted, Mike!
1998
Christian Boucher (AOS Culinary Arts) sent us a quick update. He is the Rooms Operations Manager at the North Conway Grand Hotel, a 200 room hotel with full service restaurant and banquet area. He oversees 85 percent of the operations including housekeeping, engineering, and all of food and beverage. Christian reports that he started there 6 years ago as the Head Chef. He worked his way up to F&B manager and now Operations Manager. Christian has encouraged one of his cooks to check out NECI and will be visiting Vermont in June. Thanks for the referral Christian!
Stephanie Stanley Soller (AOS Culinary Arts, BA HRM 1999) and Eric Soller (AOS Culinary Arts 1995, BA HRM 1999) sent us a quick update. Stephanie just gave birth to their second child, and they have a 7 year old daughter. Eric is the Director of Marketing for the Vulcan Food Group. They report all is well and they miss Vermont!
Chris Vizzina (AOS Culinary Arts) let us know he's up for helping out anyway he can. In the meantime he is the General Manager of Campus Dining Inc. at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.
Matt Walbaum (Culinary Arts) is the Executive Sous Chef of Levy Restaurants, America's Center and Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri.
1997
Joseph McCarthy (AOS Culinary Arts) is preparing good treats at the Iron Eagle Club in the hospitality area of the Mike Ashley Racing at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Illinois! He was profiled recently in the Herald News. Read it HERE.
Shane Ozment (AOS Culinary Arts) updated his contact information on the alumni director on the website. He let us know that he left cooking behind back in 1999 and went to graduate school and received a Master's in Finance. He has been working as a Commercial Real Estate Broker specializing in the sale of apartment buildings for the last 7 years. He has a lovely wife and two kids, Makena (3 years old) and Luke (18 months).
Shane has been in touch with NECI as he is interested in starting his own company in Denver. He is writing a business plan for a food distribution company specializing in organic food. It would specifically cater to Colorado restaurants and provide local, organic produce and free range, organic beef, pork, chicken, etc. He would love to hear from any NECI alumni who may be able to help him. If you would like to get in touch with Shane, contact him at shaneozment-at-yahoo.com. Good luck Shane! Keep us posted on your project!
1996
Walter Bundy (AOS Culinary Arts) is the Executive Chef of Lemaire Restaurant at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia. Lemaire has undergone a complete renovation and will be reopening this summer. Walter plans to to present a "farm to table" philosophy by using regional produce and herbs.
Nathan Christy (AOS Culinary Arts) has announced his engagement to Krystal Couture. Nathan is the Executive Chef in a corporate kitchen in Dover, New Hampshire. Nathan and Krstal will be married this fall in York Harbor, Maine. Congratulations!
Liz Huff (AOS Culinary Arts) is the new manager of J. Huston Tavern Restaurant in Arrow Rock, Missouri. Liz is known for the M.K.'s Arrow Rock Carrot Cake - the best carrot cake in the whole world! Yumm!
Randy Lewis (Culinary Arts) let us know that he is the Chef/Founding Partner of Best-O-Burger in San Francisco and also the Chef at The Tavern at Lark Creek in Larkspur, California.
Joshua Schwartz (AOS Culinary Arts) updated us. He is the Executive Winery Chef at Del Dotto Vineyards in St. Helena, California.
1995
Katie Gathright (AOS Culinary Arts, BA HRM 1996) is happy to report that she and her husband are in the final stages of setting up their little cooking school on our property in the Poitou-Charente, France. They split their time between France and San Francisco. Check out their website! www.chez-gautier.com.
Kevin Hildreth (AOS Culinary Arts) was recently profiled with his business partner, Chris Barry, in the Brattleboro Reformer (Vermont). Kevin has opened the North End Butchers butcher shop, selling locally produced meats, poultry, cheeses, milk, eggs and breads. Read all about the new shop HERE.
Steve Wallin (AOS Culinary Arts) sent us an update. He is the Executive Chef of Yankee Pier - Santana Row of the Lark Creek Restaurant Group in San Jose, California.
1994
Tony Roselli (AOS Culinary Arts) sent us two referrals for the Next Generation Scholarship Program. Thank you Tony! Tony let us know that he is still searching for quality, love, food and some individuals that want to excel in the industry!
Jill Henry Stroup (AOS Culinary Arts) and her husband John own a restaurant in Ogunquit, Maine.
Steven Vanderpool and Brent Sloan (both AOS Culinary Arts, Sloan - BA HRM 1996) are presenting an exclusive pairing of Oregon vineyard wines at the Strip House in Houston, Texas. Steven is the Chef at the Strip House and Brent Sloan is the Wine Director of Nos Caves Vin, and offsite wine storage facility in Houston.
1992
Colette Christian (AOS Culinary Arts) is currently teaching at the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, California. She has been there for five years and teaches in both the Culinary and Patisserie programs. When she can Colette keeps her skills sharp by competing in competitions whenever she can.
1988
Doug Weldon (Culinary Arts) sent his greetings from Napa Valley. He just returned from a tour of Italy and France. It started off on a cruise aboard "Oceania's - Insignia", beginning in Spain then the French Riviera over and down the Italian coast. Jacques Pepin was the consulting chef for the cruise line and Doug says it was impressive! The cruise ended in Rome, where Doug and his girlfriend stayed a couple of days before taking a train to Tuscany, Venice then ending with a week in Paris. Doug reports that there was so much to see and eat and not nearly enough time. He is seriously considering turning right around and going back.
Since getting back Doug reports that he is not working full time but is helping a local publisher with some recipes and photo shoots for a "Napa Valley Restaurants, Chefs and Winery" cookbook.
1987
Tim Garvey-Blackwell (AOS Culinary Arts) sent us his news: I am alive and well and living in New Jersey. Yes I said New Jersey. We are fortunate enough to be out west where it looks like a flatter Vermont.
After school I spent 10 great years in the Manchester-Dorset, Vermont area. I was chef of the Barrows House in Dorset for quite some time. Then worked as Sous Chef of the Chanticleer in East Dorset. I moved to New Jersey in 1996 and worked at Union Square Cafe for a year and a half but left to head to the more quiet New Jersey "burbs". To shorten this a bit, fast forward and I am now working for a food brokerage called Invision Food Marketing Group as an outside sales rep and Corporate Chef. 95% of my job is selling.
My wife, Jennifer, is originally from Queens, NY. As you can imagine, we met in this business of ours. She runs an off Broadway Theatre called the Vineyard Theatre for 13 years. We have 3 beautiful, funny and awesome kids: Olivia is 8 and is our dancer and artsy one. She is able to put Irish Step Dance at Carnegie Hall on her resume already. Bennet, our 5 year old, is Mr. Sports. He has a season of soccer, basketball and Little League baseball under his belt already. Cooper is our little guy. At 2 years old he already has a funny way about him. All three love to cook with daddy and the 2 older ones want me to open a restaurant with them!
1984
Debbie Meritsky (AOS Culinary Arts) was pleased to send us a referral through the Next Generation Program. She is thrilled to help someone follow their dream! Debbie is the Innkeeper of the Black Sheep Inn in Hammondsport, New York.
