Message from the President
Should anyone be curious about the effect of the economy on NECI, let there be no doubt. The impact is as far-ranging for us as for any institution in this country.
- Parents are reluctant to co-sign loans because they are uncertain about their ability to repay them, and prospective students are expressing the same.
- Enrollments are anticipated to be significantly lower beginning with the December start.
- Conventional colleges and universities, most of which had record enrollments this past September, are being told to expect the same next September.
- Well endowed schools that figured into their annual operating budgets the customary returns from their investments are scrambling to adjust to significant declines.
- The National Restaurant Association is reporting that sales in the industry are down 30% to 40%. Employers are reluctant to hire interns.
- And the NECI story is but a microcosm of the challenges everyone is facing. I know that many of you are struggling in these difficult economic times.
That said, we all must look to our future while dealing with the here and now. Strategies that are long term must be supported if NECI is to be ready for the better times. We have to have the will to manage the current situation in the short term while we anticipate better times. Because, we know, eventually the economy will heal.
To that end, NECI will be making some significant adjustments to its operations in the next few weeks. At all times, the quality of education will remain our guiding focus. The school will continue to offer its unique and effective educational approach, launch new programs in continuing education, expand on-line efforts, find ways to improve energy efficiencies of some buildings and kitchens, refurbish, and proceed with its application to NEASC.
Many of these initiatives follow from the Strategic Plan adopted by the Board at its last meeting in September and, of course, are the responsibilities of those who work at NECI. There is one initiative, however, that alumni can assist with. In late October, an advertisement appeared for my replacement. A copy of that ad follows. My request is that you encourage anyone who is qualified to consider applying. Nothing is more important for NECI's future than selecting the right individual to lead the institution.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Best wishes, Fran
President-Elect, New England Culinary Institute
Montpelier, Vermont
The Board of Directors of the New England Culinary Institute (NECI) of Montpelier, and Essex, Vermont, is seeking applicants for the position of president-elect of the Institute. The individual ultimately selected to fill this position will work with the current president over the course of his or her first 12 months, preparing to assume the full responsibilities of president after that period of transition.
New England Culinary Institute was founded in 1980 and offers Bachelor's and Associate's degree programs in Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry and Hospitality Restaurant Management. The college is widely acknowledged for its exacting curriculum, small classes, intense hands-on training, successful internship programs and high placement rates for successful graduates.
NECI has some 600 full-time students and over the past 28 years, has graduated thousands of students, many of whom are employed in professional and leadership positions in the food and hospitality industry. NECI's esteemed faculty members, many of whom are renowned in their fields, come from around the country and Europe.
The successful candidate for the president elect position will have senior leadership experience in the management of educational programs; knowledge of and preferably work experience in the food service industry; a proven track record in program development; successful budget and expense management experience, and will have been awarded a graduate degree appropriate to the position.
The individual chosen for the position will be asked to assume immediate responsibility for strategic and financial planning for NECI, working with the senior staff and executive committee.
Salary for the position will be competitive with those at comparable institutions.
The review of applications will begin on November 1st. Each application should include a letter of interest, a resume, and three professional references with email addresses and phone numbers. Please send all materials to greatjobs@neci.edu.
Letter from your Alumni Association President
With the holiday season almost in full swing, many of us in the restaurant and foodservice industries will be ramping up for what we hope will be a prosperous season. But with news of the automotive giants seeking federal bailouts, I wonder how much worse will it get?
More importantly, how will this affect the restaurant industry? Many reports show that households across the United States are all tightening their belts with discretionary spending, thus affecting spending on dining out. In addition, a recent study from an executive search firm based in California came out last month that many large corporations will be cutting back on their holiday parties or even eliminating them altogether.
As NECI graduates, we all share a common bond of excellence in foodservice and a passion for the restaurant industry. Since I took over as President of the Alumni Association in June, I have helped to connect students and alumni to help them elevate their careers. It has been a job that I take seriously, as I feel that our alumni community has a responsibility to our industry to become the future leaders.
Many have approached me to find out how they can help the Alumni Association, but we still need more to assist with reaching out to new alumni and externs. If you are interested in participating in our Ambassador Program or have other ideas, please feel free to contact me at Orrick-at-dickwray.com or 919-845-0805.
Regards,
Orrick Nepomuceno, CPC
Essex 1996
Chris Edelman (AOS Culinary Arts 1994) didn't start out wanting to be a chef. He was enrolled at Clark University studying pre-med when it dawned on him that he really wasn't interested in what he was learning or how he was learning it. So, much to the surprise of his parents, he headed up to Vermont with his dog to be a ski bum in Killington. Quickly realizing that he had to support his ski habit, he decided to get a job in a restaurant. But he didn't set his sights low, he learned about a rising star chef who had been written up by the New York Times and he pursued a job as a dishwasher in his kitchen.
During that ski season, Chris worked his way up from dishwasher, through prep cook and line cook to the Sous Chef position. When the season was over, the Executive Chef saw Chris' passion for the food and suggested that he pursue culinary school. The two of them traveled up to Montpelier to visit NECI and meet with NECI President Fran Voigt. By summertime Chris was enrolled at NECI.
After graduation, Chris found work as a chef in New York City. For six years, Chris made his living cooking in some of the finest French restaurants. But he knew that he was not cut out to work in kitchens with large brigades where he would have to work his way up. So he focused on the small French restaurants on the Upper East Side and rose quickly to managing kitchens by his late 20's.
Things turned exciting when he got involved with an early restaurant syndicate, helping to open new restaurants all over the city. The new restaurants came fast and furious. Chris was caught up in being cutting edge and cool at every new establishment. As he moved farther and farther away from the food, Chris became disillusioned and finally decided to leave New York.
Kennebunkport, Maine was Chris's next stop on his culinary journey. He bought a tiny, high end restaurant called Two Dock Square and turned it into a fun and happening place. He channeled every trick and forward thinking culinary creation that he learned while on his wild ride in New York into his new restaurant. Slowly his focus became all about the ingredients. Chris did minimal prep work, instead choosing to grab and cook from his pantry on the spot. The ingredients were as fresh as can be, with an open kitchen and everything on display. Though he loved his customers, the daily grind of an a la carte restaurant began to take its toll. When an opportunity came to sell his restaurant, he took it, leaving Two Dock Square with no more money than when he started.
Chris wasn't sure what to do next. He could see that every position he'd had followed the same old patterns. And this wasn't satisfying. After much thought and soul-searching Chris began to see a new and different future: fish.
Chris knew that there were meat chefs, science chefs, pastry chefs. But there are few chefs who are crazy about fish. Fish takes a chef out of his comfort zone. Many just insert fish as the protein in their meals. But Chris loved fish and loved to be with fishermen. So he retooled his resume and targeted Boston, considered the center of the fish universe in the U.S. Most of the imported seafood that comes into the US passes through Boston. Chris soon found out that the fish business was a very small, insular community. Major companies had been owned for generations by the same families and the usual route for someone with a culinary degree was program sales, working from a cubicle, selling pallets of fish. But, Chris wanted to touch the fish and toss it around. This wasn't a solution.
Then Seafood Specialties called. Seafood Specialties was a very small seafood wholesaler that had one old truck, a small loading dock and a small, antiquated plant. The owner wanted out- and had a proposition for Chris. Come check us out, and if you are interested, I will sell you the business. The owner would guarantee funds to cover payroll for one year. All Chris would have to do is to build enough business to get the company out of debt. After one week working for free, scrubbing fish totes, driving delivery trucks and checking the business out, Chris took the challenge.
Chris started out by unlearning all that he "thought" he knew about fish. He worked hard, learned everything by doing it all and after one year the debts were paid. He borrowed money from the Bank and the business was his. Once he knew how the fish business worked, he set out to change it up. His first major break came when French Laundry ordered some organically farmed cod from Europe. Chris's products came from all over the world, from sustainable and organic fisheries. The Boston Fish Pier, for that matter, provides an endless source of fresh seafood every morning. Referrals starting reaching out to Edelman, and he started to ship his fish by overnight courier to reach discerning chefs who wanted the best, freshest product. The list of Chefs Edelman began having the opportunity to work with reads like a "who's who" in the culinary profession!
Chris's sights were set high when he went out to Vail and Aspen, Colorado on a prospecting mission. He knew that the region was saturated with high end restaurants. He also knew that the chefs did not have access to the variety of fresh fish Seafood Specialties had to offer.. So he packed individual sample boxes demonstrating knifework, variety and packaging techniques- and started knocking on the kitchen doors of Vail's restaurants. The chefs in Vail and Aspen knew a good thing when they saw it and the orders started rolling in. Seafood Specialties now ships to many of the nations' finest restaurants and still makes local deliveries in Boston five days weekly! Edelman is very careful about growing Seafood Specialties slowly- he takes on new accounts by referral and serves as the company's only salesman.
Chris appreciates all that he learned from NECI and knows it impacts his work daily. Proper sanitation, culinary mathematics, technical knowledge and sourcing products are keys to his success. His business answers to the FDA which means that scrubbing and cleaning is constant. He also knows the lure of new technology. He could use equipment that scales fish and pulls bone, but the best advice he received when he took over the business was to change as little as possible. Therefore the fish processed by Seafood Specialties is processed entirely by hand. Chris knows that the product has a longer shelf life because he uses tried and true methods.
Chris's advice to NECI students is to make the most of your education. No matter what you think you'll be "when you grow up" you owe it to yourself to learn it all. Don't be too focused on positions, titles and salaries. If you learn all the tricks that NECI teaches you, then there will be a larger range of possibilities for your future. And, if you can, learn your name. That way you don't need to have it written on your chest to be a success. Let your work speak for itself.
Long Time Friend of NECI Dies
A long-time associate, advisor and NECI friend, Phillip Cooke passed away unexpectedly in October. Phillip spent his career in the food industry as founder and president of FSA Group, a public relations and association management company based in Louisville, Kentucky. He was one of the original members of NECI's Program Advisory Committee some 20 years ago and had recently returned to that group just this past year. During the intervening years, Phillip had kept in touch with various projects. As with everything he did, he gave NECI his all. Phillip's partner has established the Phillip S. Cooke Memorial Fund to support students who are seeking a career in the culinary field. Memorial gifts may be sent to NECI Scholarship Fund, Inc., 56 College St. Montpelier, VT 05602.
You can read more about Phillip and his life online. Click HERE or HERE
NECI at the NYC Restaurant Show!
by Karen Nevin, Director of Alumni Relations
What fun we had at the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show in New York City over November 9-11! Many alumni stopped by to say hi and it was great for me to finally meet some of you face to face. I must give a shout out to the four alumni who volunteered to help out. Emily Goulden (AOS CA 2008), Dean Hodecker (AOS CA 2008), Renee Nelson (BA 2001) and Rachel (Krelenstein) Pizzichillo (BA 2004) were a huge help to lighten the load over the three days. They spent time chatting with prospective students, encouraging passers-by to check out the school and generally making our time pass quickly. Chef Michel and Jennifer McConnell, Director of Continuing Education, rounded out the NECI team.
A number of folks stopped by to visit, including: Steve Morgan (AOS CA 2000), Craig Schantz (AOS CA 2000), Gavin Kaysen (BA FBM 2003), Mimi Hill, Gary Lindholm (AOS CA 1996), Manuel Trevino (AOS CA 1999), Jeff Amoscato (BA FBM 2005), Rob Garceau (AOS CA 1998), Theo Peck (AOS CA 2006), Amanda Dombroski (AOS CA 2001) and Oliver Gift (AOS CA 2006).
Gala Fundraiser for NECI at The Equinox Resort
For the third year in a row NECI is teaming up with another venerable Vermont institution to benefit our Scholarship Fund. In 2005, the management of The Equinox Resort in Manchester, Vermont first donated to NECI the proceeds from their Annual Food & Wine Weekend. This year the proceeds from the 10th Annual Wine & Food Weekend, being held November 21 through November 23, will again be donated to our scholarship fund.
This year, the involvement of NECI has been greatly expanded. This year our students and faculty have been invited to actively participate in the event. Chef Mark Molinaro has assembled a team of culinary students who will accompany him to Manchester to work side-by-side with the Equinox's Executive Chef Jeffrey Russell. The students will help to prepare and serve the hors d'oeuvres at the opening reception as well as staff the various stations during the elegant buffet dinner. Our team will work side-by-side with Chef Russell and his crew during the day. What an invaluable learning experience for these five students!
On Saturday, there will be a series of five wine seminars as well as a large walk-around tasting. John Alexopolous, Equinox's Wine Director has invited Dellie Rex, Director of NECI's Wine & Beverage Studies Specialization, to assist with the wine tastings. She has put together a team of wine-knowledgeable students who will set up the rooms, open the bottles, pour the wine and help in any way possible the seminar presenters and the vintners.
All six students will help with the Grand Wine Tasting from 3:00-5:00 at which representatives of all twenty wineries and importers will be presenting their wines.
The weekend concludes in grand style with the Wine Makers' Gala Dinner on Saturday evening. In addition, a Silent Auction will be going on with such choice items as valuable wines, gift certificates and trips to wine country. We hope the bidding will be fiercely competitive as all proceeds from the Auction also go to the NECI Scholarship Fund!
All students on NECI's two teams, as well as both instructors, are excited about the opportunities this gala weekend offers for learning, practicing skills and networking, while also supporting the NECI Scholarship Fund.
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By David Hale, Director of Career Services
Copperfield Inn is looking for a General Manager/Innkeeper
The Copperfield Inn is committed to superior quality services that exceed guests' expectations. The Copperfield Inn is a 32 bed Resort Hotel with two restaurants, and facilities for banquets, weddings and conferences. The GM will be responsible for directing operations to ensure guest satisfaction, strong cost control and proper maintenance with a "hands on" approach. The GM will be experienced, passionate and a results driven leader. The Copperfield Inn feels that our values and our personal relationships will grow and develop the company. We will do this with steady, planned growth and by taking advantage of strategic opportunities. Please note that once the GM position is filled, this property will begin searching for a new Executive Chef.
Copperfield Inn Resorts LLC
P.O. Box 1
North Creek, N.Y. 12853
Phone: 518 251 2200
careers@coppperfield-inn.com
Contact Name: Joel R. Beaudin
The Inn at Baldwin Creek has started searching for a Sous Chef
Chef Owner Doug Mack is looking for a dedicated sous chef to lead the kitchen for Mary's restaurant. Doug is a founding member of the Vermont Fresh Network and continues to lead the way serving year-round local ingredients in a beautiful country inn setting. The Inn has taken the local ideals to the next level with its own greenhouses producing year round vegetables and herbs right out the kitchen door. Doug is aiming to have this position filled by February 1, giving the right candidate plenty of time to get everything in order for a smooth transition.
Mary's at the Inn at Baldwin Creek
Bristol, Vermont
Phone: 802-453-2432
inn@baldwincreek.com
Contact: Doug Mack
Food & Beverage Manager for an East Coast, award-winning luxury Inn, Restaurant & Spa
This award-winning luxury level Inn with less than fifty rooms seeks an F&B Manager to be responsible for the Front of the House service in the Restaurant, Room Service, and Banquet departments. This is a terrific opportunity for someone who enjoys people more than paper, has an outgoing, gregarious personality, loves being out front, good at remembering people's names, has an entrepreneurial streak, has strong wine knowledge and excellent service standards. You would report to an experienced, professional, kind, and fun General Manager who has worked at multiple luxury properties. The property offers considerable benefits including quarterly bonuses, an opportunity to spend hundreds of dollars on property each quarter, discount services including $40 massages, and serving on the Executive Committee. Some relocation assistance is possible depending on where the person currently resides. Salary range is mid-$50's plus up to 15% of salary in bonus (with the opportunity to gain additional bonus money when bringing in additional revenue over budget). Housing in this area is very reasonable -- homes with 2000 to 4000 square feet in terrific areas sell between $110k and $175k with a view of the lake thrown in, too!
Please contact David Hale at NECI for more details:
Phone: 802-225-3306
Email: david.hale@neci.edu
INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW!
Do you have an interesting job, doing something that you never expected?
-- Please let us know! necialumni-at-neci.edu
Are you working in an area of the culinary industry that you never expected?
-- Please let us know! necialumni-at-neci.edu
Are you living somewhere in this vast world that is far from NECI and Vermont?
-- Please let us know! necialumni-at-neci.edu
Would you like to be profiled in the next alumni newsletter?
-- Please let us know! necialumni-at-neci.edu
You'd be amazed at what NECI's alumni are doing. In this month's newsletter you can read about Chris Edelman, restauranteur turned fishmonger. Or Jill Forster, an imported cheese specialist. Or Jenny Shepherd Harris, a registered dietician. NECI alumni are doing more than cooking. They volunteer in their community, are generous with their time and talents and are involved far and wide.
One of the only ways for your friends and classmates to know where you are and what you are doing is by letting NECI know. I promise to include your updates in the next issue of the NECI News.
Karen Nevin, Director of Alumni Relations
necialumni-at-neci.edu
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Have you wondered where I get this information? I have a number of sources. First, there is you. Alumni have started clicking on the links in the email to send me updates. I LOVE GETTING YOUR UPDATES! Second, there are the NECI Chefs. I have asked the chefs and instructors to let me know when they have heard from you. Finally, there is Google Alerts. Google lets me know every time the words "NECI" and "New England Culinary Institute" show up on the web. From those links, I glean information on what you are up to.
My goal each month is to include as much information on NECI alumni that I can find. I know that "Where Are They Now?" is your favorite section of the newsletter. I'll keep it brimming with news if you keep sending me your updates!
Karen
Ari Slatkin (BA HRM 2008) wrote to tell us about the book he wrote with Chef Robert Danhi entitled Southeast Asian Flavors: Adventures in Cooking the Foods of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, & Singapore. Ari is the Sous Chef for Chef Danhi & Co. in Los Angeles. The book is over 400 pages with more than 100 recipes and 700 full color photographs.
Brandon Rodgers (AOS Culinary Arts 2008) is working at Daniel's in New York City with another of NECI alumnus, Gaven Kaysen. Brandon recently assisted Gavin in an Iron Chef America competition that will be airing in the future.
Sean McElroy (AOS Culinary Arts 2008) wrote to tell us he worked at the Oakland House Seaside Resort in Maine over the summer. He was the Sous chef for their restaurant called The Rusticator. He's looking at completing his BA back here at NECI.
Jake DiSilva (BA Culinary Arts 2008) wrote to Chef Hemm to let him know how he was doing. Jake shared the following:
"I had gotten a job as Sous Chef of a high end Japanese steak house and fusion restaurant in Southern California. In early September the Executive Chef quit because he had made too many operational mistakes in the opening process (i.e. over-ordering expensive meat to the tune of $30,000) and was afraid of being fired. I inherited the position of Executive Chef and am doing very well at managing the kitchen. I am writing to thank you for all of your wisdom and effort at teaching the material during the Bachelor's program. I feel as though the knowledge I gained from the program, particularly the kitchen management course, has been crucial to my success."
Thanks for the kudos Jake, and good luck with your new position!
Matt Varanese (AOS Culinary Arts 2007) wrote to celebrate the birth of his new baby girl, Serena, on October 23rd. She weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces and 21 inches long. Matt's wife, Kate, Serena and he are all doing great and the new proud parents are in awe!
Danielle (Troiano) Sprague (AOS Culinary Arts 2006) married Steven Sprague on May 31, 2008 at the Inn at Essex in Essex, Vermont. Not only does Vermont hold a special place in their hearts, but they knew the NECI staff and students would work with them on menus to ensure the food would be customized as well as amazingly delicious. After eating and drinking their way through Italy for their honeymoon, they reside in Leominster, Massachuseets. Danielle is a Rounds Cook at Tomasso Trattoria in Southboro, MA and Steven is the Executive Chef at Nashoba Valley Winery in Bolton, MA. Congratulations Danielle!
Erin Chamoff (AOS Culinary Arts 2006) is one of the new owner's of The Bobcat Café in Bristol, Vermont. Her goal is to create an environment that is comforting and cozy for the community. She and the restaurant were profiled recently. Read more HERE.
Drew Terp (AOS Culinary Arts 2006) was recently profiled online. Drew is the Executive Chef of the Port O'Call Restaurant in Bermuda. To read the profile, click HERE.
Duncan Thomson (AOS Culinary Arts 2006) dropped us a note to say he is no longer working at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. He spent five short months at Adour Alain Ducasse, but has recently taken a position as Chef de Partie at Per Se in New York City.
Joe Poisson (BA HRM 2006) wrote us with an update. Joe had been working in Jackson, Wyoming as the manager of the Amangani Resort but decided to try living and working in Las Vegas. He and his wife decided it wasn't working out and have returned to New Hampshire and are living in Newmarket, a coastal town outside of Portsmouth.
Colin Chapman (AOS Culinary Arts 2005) was happy to respond to the request in the October Newsletter to let us know what's going on. He is the Sous Chef at The Inn at Glenora. He is proud to report that they use about 90% local products and he and the Chef work very closely with local farmers. In fact if he needs an ingredient, all he has to do is drive five minutes down the road and go out in the field and pick it! He's also pleased to report that his family has just gotten bigger with the birth of a beautiful baby boy, Blane Lewis Chapman.
Eric Paynter (AOS Culinary Arts 2005) wrote to let us know what's going on. Following graduation he took a Sous Chef position at a new upscale casual Mediterranean restaurant in Green Bay. About two years later he accepted an offer as Executive Chef of the Wausaukee Club in Northern Wisconsin. The Club was established in 1890 and he fed up to 150 members three meals a day, including preparing the fresh fish the guests caught daily out of the lakes on the 4,000 acres of property. For the past year he has been a Sous Chef Kitchen Manager at the Radisson in Green Bay.
Marshall Smith's (AOS Culinary Arts 2004) new restaurant Savoy was written up recently. His restaurant, which he owns with his half-brother Peter Gibson, it doing well in its North Raleigh location. Read more about Savoy HERE.
Jackie (Damigella) and Andy King (both AOS Culinary Arts 2003) run their 2 year old bakery A&J King Artisan Bakers in downtown Salem, Massachusetts. The bakery is a favorite spot for folks looking for fresh bread, a cup of coffee or scrumptious desserts.
Nikki Schiebel (AOS Culinary Arts 2003) has left Champagne Restaurant in Seattle and is now teaching culinary arts at a high school outside of Seattle.
Lucy Damkoehler (AOS Culinary Arts 2003) is pleased to share that she is the new Pastry Chef at the TASTE Restaurant at the Seattle Arts Museum. Check out their press release HERE. She started work just a few weeks ago but before getting settled she spent a few weeks in Europe doing a stage at Pierre Herme in Paris.
David Hester (AOS Culinary Arts 2003) wrote to say he is the Executive Chef at the Poplar Street Pub in downtown Salt Lake City.
Harper Davidson (BA HRM 2003) wrote to say he is working at the Prospector's Bar and Grill in Spokane, Washington as a Cook. He loves his work saying that the people are awesome, the quality is great and the kitchen setup is fab - the cleanest he has been in since school!
Samuel Greeno (AOS Culinary Arts 2003) dropped us a note to say he is working as a Chef for a high-end catering company called Iverson Catering in Park City, Utah. They work with anyone and their budget. He says it's a real treat to cook up there but it drives him a bit crazy that they don't use standardized recipes!
Gavin Kaysen (BA HRM 2003) gave a culinary demonstration at the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show in New York City on November 9, 2008. Gavin, Executive Chef at Café Boulud, showed off his expertise with eggs! Poached in red wine or egg yolks cooked by sous vide, he kept the audience entranced with his wizardry. Did you know that his winning dish at the Bocuse d'Or was an egg?
Brian Lyster (BA HRM 2003) let us know that he is working at Sodexo at Kalamazoo College in the position of Assistant Catering Service Manager.
Eddie Coulombe (AOS Culinary Arts 2002) is the Executive Chef of Untamed Grill in Winter Park, Colorado. The new menu was written up in Sky-Hi Daily News. Read about it HERE.
Treacy Kreger's (AOS Culinary Arts 2001) family restaurant Vern's was recently profiled online. Treacy is the third generation of Kreger's operating the family restaurant.
Philip Oswalt (AOS Culinary Arts 2001) is the Sous Chef at The Heathman in Portland, Oregon.
Monte Weber (AOS Culinary Arts 2000) reported that he is back home in North Carolina where he is the Sous Chef at Grandfather Golf and Country Club, working for a a brilliant chef, Tom Jankovich C.E.C. They have two kitchens in the club house -- a banquet and an a la carte. Monte runs the a la carte kitchen. Since the Club is a private establishment supported by members, he is fortunate to work with little to no food budget. In other words he gets to use basically anything he wants to create dishes. He never expected to be doing something like this, but so far is enjoying it.
Matt Gilbert (AOS Culinary Arts 2000) wrote a long email to Brenda Furber in Career Services, which she wants to share with everyone. Matt writes:
"It has been a long and winding road for me. After I finished as the Chef of Plonk in Montana, I spent a few months working for a winery in South Africa. After that I worked two jobs in San Francisco for a year and a half -- one at Silks in the Mandarin Oriental and the other in a great little Greek winebar in the Mission. I then spent about ten months in South America studying Spanish, cooking and travelling. It was the best trip of my life! I lived with five families: in Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile, Lima, Havana Cuba and Guatemala City. I spent most of my time in Argentina, Chile and Peru but also went to Antarctica, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Colombia, Panama and the rest of Central America. I am in love with the Latino culture! I returned to Montana to work as a wine rep for a wine importer for the summer and see my family. I went back to Peru for a few weeks in early September and am now in Portland, Oregon. My plan is to save money for one last trip to India and China."
Matt lets us know that he has been in touch with plenty of NECI friends including: Jeremy Hughes, Andrew Martin and Amy Nack (in Portland), Jen Zubiate (who recently had a baby), Mike Geldart (in Boston), Josh Goetz (in Hong Kong), Annie Sparks (in San Juan Islands), Emily Ghiz (in Atlanta), and Paula Snow (who recently got married). Thanks for all the news, Matt!
Rob Rivers (AOS Culinary Arts 2000) is the new Executive Chef at the Jonesville Store in Clifton Park, New York. Before landing at Jonesville, Rob was the Executive Sous Chef at Glen Sanders Mansion in Scotia and Prime at Saratoga National Golf Course.
Eric Garber (AOS Culinary Arts 2000) dropped us a note to say he has left the world of fine dining. He is working at a prison in Oregon as their Food Service Coordinator. He is happily married with two kid - Jesea, who is 5 months old and Nate, who is seven.
Klaus Lotter (AOS Culinary Arts 2000) sent us an update. He has left the Hilton Indian Lakes Resord in Bloomingdale, Illinois and is now the Executive Chef at the Doubletree Hotel Chicago-Oak Brooks. He is enjoying fatherhood with his daughter, Samantha and wife, Nadine.
Jenny (Shephard) Harris (AOS Culinary Arts 2000) sent us an update. After NECI she went back to school and graduated in 2006 from Bastyr University with a Master's Degree in Nutrition and finished her dietetic internship at Virginia Tech in 2007. She is currently working as a registered dietitian (RD) with the Women, Infants, and Children Supplemental Food Program at the Swedish Medical Center in downtown Seattle. She shares that it is a great, yet very challenging position working with low-income pregnant women, infants, and children up to age 5. She works with a very diverse group of cultures, many of whom English is their second language or who don't speak English at all. Her learning curve has been great in the area of nutrition and in the social aspects of the program such as connecting individuals to programs in the community. One of the goals of the program is to start having classes, including cooking classes.
Brett Beaver (BA HRM 2000) sent us an update. He says "We are expecting our second little bundle of joy next year, our daughter is looking forward to being a big sister, and has already started mimicking the nesting habits of her mom. I left the world of food & beverage to be able to spend more time with my family. I am very busy though, I teamed up with my wife (Melodie Beaver) and we are now known as "The Beaver Team." We are both Realtors with Coldwell Banker Residential, based out of Naperville, IL, but we service all of the Chicago Land area. We are currently in the top 10 percent of the region with an average of selling a home every 8 days. Even in the current market we are finding dream homes for our buyers. I would love to hear from any of the old crew from Essex or from my BA crew from Montpellier, you can reach me at TheBeaverTeam@comcast.net."
Lane Rowland (AOS Culinary Arts 1999) wrote to say he and his wife, Michelle, are living and working for a Private Estate in Sequim, Washington as Private Chef/Estate Manager. They left East Hampton and took this position to be closer to family and it is working out great. He is doing a lot of cooking. The estate has a large herb and vegetable garden, raw milk, local chickens, beef, pork and 2,000 acres of land to live on and explore. He and his wife traveled to Spain last spring and have been up to Vancouver BC many times in the last year. They are expecting a baby at the end of the year, and are excited to welcome him/her into the world.
Roxanne Koteles-Smith (AOS Culinary Arts 1999) is a chef consultant and author of The Cancer Cookbook. Roxanne has committed herself to helping people find health through foods. An extraordinary story about Roxanne's work helping cancer patients can be found HERE.
Michelle (Wedemeyer) Guebert (AOS Culinary Arts 1998) dropped us a note to say that she just got married.
Terri Kohl (AOS Culinary Arts 1998) runs her own personal-chef and cooking-class business in Des Moines, Iowa. She was recently profiled in the Des Moines Register. To read more, click HERE.
Jason Collin (AOS Culinary Arts 1998) is the Executive Chef at Firebox Restaurant in Hartford, Connecticut. The Firebox Restaurant's philosophy is "that the best food travels the shortest distance from farm to table, that locally grown ingredients combined with classic techniques and innovative thinking make for an enjoyable experience."
Laura Considine-Cole (AOS Culinary Arts 1998) has a new cookbook, "A Cache of Recipes." Laura and her family are the owners of Camp Denali, located in Denali National Park in Alaska, and the North Face Lodge. The cookbook contains recipes for interesting, wholesome foods that are prepared for their guests far, far away from civilization. To read more about Laura and her cookbook, click HERE.
Lenny Rice (AOS Culinary Arts 1998), Brigid Callinan (AOS Culinary Arts 1994) and Chris Moonsammy (AOS Culinary Arts 1998) have started a new online venture called Good Food Source. Whether you're looking for the perfect gift for a faraway foodie friend, or a special ingredient for a new culinary experiment, Good Food Source puts you one click away from the best mail order food sites on the web. They have scoured the internet for companies with unique products and fantastic service that make gift giving and ingredient sourcing easy and fun. Let Good Food Source find your new favorite food!
Brian Erskine (AOS Culinary Arts 1996) checked in to let us know he is the Garde Manger Chef at the Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod. He is enjoying life with his wife Tracy and his two year old son, Booker.
Beryl Lewit (AOS Culinary Arts 1996) has her own business called Beryl's Pastries in Maine.
Heather Terhune (AOS Culinary Arts 1995) was featured in Nation Restaurant News in October. Heather has been the Executive Chef at Atwood Café in Chicago's Hotel Burnham since 1999. In 2007 Heather took a sabbatical in Northern Italy where she was able to take a break and spend her time thinking about the food.
Ross Gagnon (AOS Culinary Arts 1995) is the Executive Chef of The Common Man Restaurant in Warren, Vermont. A great story about Ross and his culinary background was recently put online. To read all about Ross, click HERE.
Jill (Gedra) Forster (AOS Culinary Arts 1994) conducted a demonstration at the Taste of Sample Circuit in Minneapolis in October. Jill is the Imported Cheese Specialist at Kowalski's Markets. She shared her knowledge of artisan cheeses from over 50 countries
Mark Stanczak (AOS Culinary Arts 1992) sent a note to tell us that he has a personal chef business, Making It with Mark LLC. He primarily works out of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, during ski and summer seasons. During the fall, He has a big game processing facility, processing elk, deer, antelope, buffalo, moose, and bear. He has been married for nine years to his lovely wife, Amy.
Kurt Michael Friese (AOS Culinary Arts 1992) has published a book A Cook's Journey: Slow Food in the Heartland, a culinary tour of 13 states where readers are introduced to the chefs, advocates and farmers who drive the Slow Food Movement. Kurt founded Iowa's first Slow Food convivium, serves on the Slow Food USA National Board of Directors and is the editor-in-chief and co-owner of the seasonal local food magazine Edible River Valley You can read more about Kurt and his book HERE.
Eddy Travis (AOS Culinary Arts 1992) celebrated his 40th birthday in October. He wondered why NECI forgot to send a birthday card (I promise to reinstitute this soon!) and shared pictures of his birthday present - a new 2009 Toyota Corolla Sports Car. Eddy is happy working as a Chef at Springfield Hospital.
Jeffrey Heisler (AOS Culinary Arts 1992) dropped by NECI in Montpelier to visit and reminisce. He was finishing a 10 day road trip with his wife, where they had been up to Niagara Falls, visited his 1st internship site on Cape Cod and were checking out all the changes at NECI in Montpelier. He spends his time in Ohio putting back together broken restaurants, and is now the Executive Chef of the Hoover Grille in Westerville, OH. He says to drop by if you are in the neighborhood!
Al Brown (AOS Culinary Arts 1991) is wearing multiple hats these days. He is the co-owner of Logan Brown Restaurant and Bar in Wellington, New Zealand, TV presenter for Hunger for the Wild, author, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise ambassador chef and husband and father. He recently demonstrated his favorite dishes in Marlborough, NZ. You can read more about Al HERE.
Doug Smith (AOS Culinary Arts 1991) ran for a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives, District 95 this fall. Doug lives in Des Moines where he owns the Cosi Cucina Restaurant for the past 11 years. Doug is married to Amber and has seven beautiful children with their eighth due this fall.
Paul Lynch (AOS Culinary Arts 1990) of FireLake Grill House also presented at the Taste of Sample Circuit in Minneapolis. Paul has also been invited to debut his cooking at the James Beard House in New York City. The dinner, themed "Celebrating America's Heartland," will take place on November 18 in Manhattan. To read more about the event, click HERE.
Eric Villegas (AOS Culinary Arts 1985) will be a guest chef at the Grand Rapids International Wine & Food Festival November 21-23. He will prepare "Great Lakes Gumbo with Michigan White Shrimp & Smoked Whitefish" on the Meijer Food Stage. To read more on Eric, click HERE.
Ruth Feinberg Feldman (AOS Culinary Arts 1984) checked in to tell us about her life as a non-profit organization consultant. She is currently consulting to Haley House Cafe in Dorchester, Massachusetts, which is a restaurant / training / catering enterprise in Boston's inner city. She is working on capacity building, helping with some culinary "coaching", helping to develop systems and doing basic internal marketing to highlight the healthy ingredients and local produce used. You can read more about Haley House at:http://haleyhouse.org/ and read about the kids cooking classes in the current issue of Edible Boston HERE.
Joseph Patrick (AOS Culinary Arts) wanted to let everyone know that he has left The Tipperary Inn in Dallas. While there he received significant recognition, including Best Place to Eat in Dallas. He's landed a position as one of the Executive Chef at the new line of Holiday Inn concepts in Arlington, Texas.
Sonja Hart (AOS Culinary Arts) is working in Fes, Morocco, sharing home-style American baking around to the locals and foreigners alike.
