An Introduction to the New Graduate Assistants
Every semester, the Gastronomy program hires several new graduate assistants to help with various projects and tasks – working on the blog, taking on new research topics, organizing events, and anything else that needs to be taken care of. For this fall, assistants Alex Galimberti and Meg Jones Wall will be filling these roles, so you’ll probably be seeing a lot of them in the next few months. If you haven’t met these students yet, here’s a quick introduction:
Alex Galimberti will be focusing on research aspects of the program, working with Rachel Black on her soon-to-be-published exploration of wine and culture as well as helping with program events, policies and organization tactics. An avid traveler with a particular interest in Latin American food cultures, Alex is hoping to work with gastronomic tourism development after completing the program. “One of my favorite things about researching Latin American cuisines is tasting unique ingredients, and also learning traditional pre-Hispanic recipes,” Alex explains. Exploring exotic dishes such as chapulines and huitlacoche (fried crickets and wild fungus), as well as cuy (guinea pig), he’s not afraid to try indigenous foods and distinctive cultural dishes that many Americans might shy away from. “My main goal is to keep going to different countries and learning more about their food.” After graduating from The Culinary Institute of America, Alex began the Gastronomy program in 2010, taking a few courses at a time while he also works at Taranta Restaurant in the North End. Alex has been featured on this blog before, so for more information check out his student profile.
Meg Jones Wall will be working on communications projects, focusing primarily on the BU
Gastronomy blog as well as helping with new marketing materials for the program. Working to develop her photography and food styling skills, Meg will be completing her thesis this semester, comparing historic and modern food still life paintings to food photographs. “I love looking at food through different lenses, literally and figuratively. The way photographers can use light and color to show viewers new aspects of ingredients and dishes they take for granted has always fascinated me,” Meg says. A full-time student in the program, Meg began in the fall of 2010, completing the culinary certificates over the summer. As well as working on the Gastronomy blog, Meg also writes for her own food and recipe blog, ginger-snapped.
Want to get involved? We’re always looking for submissions, whether you’re interested in writing a profile on a current student or alumni, exploring events or festivals in the community, or reporting on various events throughout the Gastronomy program. Recipes, profiles, and photographs are also welcome, as well as anything else you dream up. Feel free to email us anytime with suggestions, ideas or articles – we’d love to hear from you!