Back-to-School season is here
It is back to school season! Classes in Boston University's Gastronomy program begin on September 2, 2015.
Here is your first introduction to some of the new students joining the Gastronomy Program for the Fall 2015 Semester.
Jessica Caccamo is originally from Clifton Park, NY and completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at Alfred University in 2009 where
she concentrated in ceramics. Immediately following graduation she began working in Alfred University’s admissions office and started recruiting students from New Jersey and Manhattan. Jessica has been working as a higher education professional for the past 6 years, and credits her travels to Manhattan, as well as other cities across the Northeast and Midwest, as the impetus for her passion for creative and innovative food. She has become an avid home cook and baker, and also spends her time working as a server at Brookline’s Fairsted Kitchen. She hopes that the Gastronomy program will help her make the transition to working full time in the restaurant and food industry.
Krysia Lycette Villón was born and raised in the Boston-area. She received her BA in Spanish from Mount Holyoke Coll
ege and her AS in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University at Providence, among other professional certificates in the hospitality industry. She currently works as the Assistant Manager of the Retail Store at Taza Chocolate in Somerville, MA, a bean-to-bar organic, stone-ground, dark chocolate factory just outside Boston. She had a long career in Development and Volunteer Management in higher education until she decided to pursue her culinary dreams. Her recent experiences in the culinary world have brought her to want to learn more about various food histories, especially that of the Aymara and Quechua people of South America (her ancestors), and the cultures connected to them. She is inspired by the generations-deep relationship Indigenous peoples have with the world (and, hence, food items) around them and wishes to write and teach about these histories. She hopes to develop this knowledge more intimately through the Gastronomy program at BU."
Ilana Hardesty has been an enthusiastic home cook for as long as she can remember. Her inherited food genes are from her Iowa meat-and-potatoes father (brownies!) and her South African Jewish mother (chicken soup with matzoh balls!). Ilana’s interests in food have led to extensive cooking experimentation at home, (including keeping her cardiovascular-challenged husband interested in low fat food), voluminous shelves of books about food and foodways, and teaching healthy cooking techniques at a number of Boston-area adult education institutions. Her aim in the BU Gastronomy Program is to give structure to her self-taught knowledge of food and food issues, and to expand her general knowledge.
Rachel DeSimone is a born and raised New Yorker from Hell’s Kitchen who found her way to Boston to complete her undergraduate 
studies in Hospitality Administration and Journalism at BU. She has worked in an array of restaurants during her college career in Boston, New York and Sydney, Australia but found her true passion in writing. As she embarked her editorial career she took on the position of Editor in Chief of BU’s chapter of the national food publication Spoon University, managing a team of 50 people. She continues to find inspiration writing about anything that catches her appetite. She knows that the Gastronomy program will strengthen her food foundation and inform her writing and is excited for all that is to come as she begins the graduate school journey. Most importantly to note, she loves ice cream to the ends of the earth and always has at least seven different pints in her freezer for safekeeping.
Summer Course Spotlight: The Science of Food and Cooking
Food science meets culinary arts in the MLA in Gastronomy program's Science of Food and Cooking course. In this Summer I course, basic food science is explored in the context of traditional and modern cooking techniques. Students will discover the science behind cooking everyday foods, explore molecular gastronomy, and learn how to use sensory evaluation techniques to analyze food products.
Students will conduct in-class experiments and have the opportunity to work in BU’s professional kitchen for a comprehensive look at the basic science that makes recipes work and how altering ingredients results in differing sensory properties. Join us for a combination of academic discussion and hands-on exploration of the science of food. This course is designed for food studies and other non-natural science majors and does not require prerequisites.
Instructor Valerie Ryan is a food scientist and food studies scholar. She holds a Master of Liberal Arts in Gastronomy and is certified in Culinary Arts; her Bachelor of Science is in Food and Nutrition, with a concentration in Food Chemistry. As a food scientist, she has worked for both government and industry in the areas of research and development; ingredient applications; chemical, nutritional, and sensory analysis; and product innovation. Ryan has focused her food studies research on the impact of taste preference on human evolution.
Limited seats are still available in this class, which will meet on Monday and Wednesday evenings, beginning May 18 and runs through June 25. Please register online at http://www.bu.edu/summer/registration/ by May 10 or contact gastrmla@bu.edu for more information
GSA End of Semester Fiesta
The semester is over, some of us are graduating, and we say goodbye to a long, hard winter as we welcome the warmer weather. Join the Gastronomy Students Association in celebrating all of this, as well as anything else you might want to raise a glass to, at the End of Semester Potluck Party on May 9th from 2:00 PM to Midnight. Enjoy some delicious food and refreshing drinks while overlooking Commonwealth Avenue at an exclusive rooftop venue.
The theme of the event is Flavors of Latin America, and we ask that guests bring their favorite savory and/or sweet dishes from Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. Plan to enjoy some delicious Cuban ropa vieja, mojo marinated chicken, calaloo soup, congrí rice, and Haitian sweets along with whatever culinary creations guests bring to the party.
Tickets are $20 per person and include beer, wine, cocktails, and soft drinks. Proceeds go towards funding future Gastronomy Students Association events. Tickets should be purchased through PayPal by May 5th.
This event is open to BU Gastronomy students, alumni, faculty, staff, and their guests.
Date: Saturday, May 9th
Time: 2:00 PM to 12:00 AM (Midnight)
Place: Allston, MA (exact location will be provided to paid guests)
Price: $20 per person purchased vial PayPal (use ID: gastronomystudents@gmail.com)
For more information, please contact a GSA executive board member at gastronomystudents@gmail.com
After Graduation: Starting a Wine Business
by Kim Simone
Alumna Kim Simone (May ’14) shares her post-degree career path and founding her company, Vinitas Wineworks.
One of the questions I heard frequently from people while I was attending the Gastronomy program was “What are you going to do with your degree?” It’s not exactly a traditional program with built-in job training (with the exception of the culinary program.) We do it because it’s a part of who we are and what we love. I bet that most of us use the degree to forge our own way in the world of food, creating a place for ourselves in one of the many industries that pertain to our chosen field of study, be it cooking, writing, education, hospitality, and so on. I chose wine.
At the same time that I started the Gastronomy program I also jumped into the wine world, working first in a large retail store and then for a medium-sized Massachusetts wine distributor. And although I was climbing up the industry ladder, I got an idea pretty early on that a job in sales wasn’t the place for me. My real love has always been educating the public and “geeking out” over the finer points of whatever is in my wineglass. Which is why, after years of thought and planning, I founded an independent wine education and consulting company after finishing my degree last May.
I specialize in wine education classes and hosting wine events for the general public. These can be either private events (e.g. tastings in people’s homes, private parties, etc.) or something bigger like a fundraiser for a nonprofit. I also provide training for those in the hospitality trades that either need some guidance within their own store or restaurant, or who need someone to train their staff to be better servers or wine consultants. My education through the Gastronomy program and the Elizabeth Bishop Wine School has really prepared me for this new role. Both the hands-on tasting classes led by Sandy Block and Bill Nesto, as well as the History of Wine class, really opened up this fabulous world to me. The most important thing I feel that I can pass on to my clients is that wine doesn’t have to be scary. It is complex, yes, but there truly is something out there for every palate. Once you learn what you like the possibilities are endless. Through my events and blog I provide the place to ask those questions that you might think are a little bit dumb and get that knowledge flowing.
Kim Simone can be reached at kim@vinitaswineworks.com or www.VinitasWineWorks.com.
Cooking with Chef Jacques Pépin
by Claudia Catalano
Student Claudia Catalano recounts her experience cooking with Chef Jacques Pépin, one of the founders of the Gastronomy Program at BU and a celebrated chef in his own right.
It's 7 pm on a Wednesday night. Eighty ticket-holding foodies sit attentively while gulping down sparkling rosé. I'm standing underneath a kitchen demonstration mirror, my hands trembling as I peel and core apples as fast as I can without losing a finger. The audience is captive, but not because of me. I could be flambéing a roast goose and they wouldn't notice. Their eyes are fixed on the man by my side—the legendary Jacques Pépin.
I was proud and honored to be assisting the celebrated chef while he visited BU for three days. Pépin co-founded the Gastronomy program and at age 79, and he still comes to work with the culinary students each semester. The time spent with Jacques in the kitchen culminated in 2 evening events that were open to the public. For both nights, he demonstrated recipes from his 2007 book, Chez Jacques, while discussing his philosophy on food and his journey as an artist. Besides being a prolific author and beloved television personality, Jacques is also a painter.
The menu was the same for both dinners and reflected simple traditions from his lifetime of cooking. We started with fromage forte—a savory cheese spread made from odds and ends of leftover cheese (camembert, stilton, chèvre, cheddar, anything!), garlic, white wine, and a generous pinch of black pepper. Packed into little crocks and served with freshly made croutons, it was a quintessential product of his humble upbringing and resourceful approach to cooking.
We also made duck liver pâté with shallots, duck fat, ground bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns, and a few glugs of good cognac. The students hovered around an extra crock and slathered the rich earthy spread on the same crisp croutons.
While he demonstrated the dishes, cracked jokes, and told stories from his early years in New York, the students buzzed around behind the scenes to churn out scores of plated portions for every other course. With the help of Pépin's longtime friend and equally accomplished chef, Jean-Claude Szurdak, we had been prepping and cooking for the event all day. After the fromage and pâté, we made truffle and pistachio sausage with warm leek and potato salad. Ground pork shoulder was seasoned with pickling salt, white wine and garlic, and then combined with chopped truffles and pistachios. Logs were rolled tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and left to cure in the refrigerator for four days (these were made ahead). On the afternoon of service, we poached the sausages and cut thick slices to serve atop the potatoes.
For the main course we made chicken thighs with morel sauce and rice pilaf. The sauce was enhanced with the soaking liquid from the dried mushrooms, fruity white wine, the pan drippings, and cream. It was the perfect marriage of elegance and comfort food. To cap off the meal, we baked rustic apple tarts with hazelnut frangipane.
Amidst all the prepping and cooking for the big events, Jacques still found the time to teach us how to bone a whole chicken for galantine—a task I've seen him perform on videos and TV. He's so approachable, it's easy to forget how accomplished he really is. But when I watched him work I realized I was observing a man with a lifetime of embodied kitchen knowledge - knowledge that flows out of his fingers with ease and grace.
In addition to the perfected techniques and beautifully executed dishes, there's so much more I took away from my three days with Jacques and Jean-Claude. So much that I had to boil it down to "Jacques' credo":
1) A chef is a craftsman before he is an artist. A young chef who is trying to be "creative" is like a writer who doesn't have a good grasp of grammar—it just doesn't work.
2) Good food should be simple.
3) Home is the best restaurant.
4) For experienced cooks, a recipe is an expression of one moment in time.
5) Food does more than fill a biological need. It can mean love, home, comfort...
6) The best food is the food you know (Jacques isn't interested in what he called a "plated unborn vegetable").
7) You can make a convincing "Champagne" by mixing white wine with Pabst Blue Ribbon (this one I got from Jean-Claude at the after-party!).
8) Great food is even better when shared with friends and the people you love. So if nerves get to you in the heat of the kitchen or you dropped your tart on the floor, just relax and have another glass of wine. As long as you keep good company, everyone will still have a good time.
Culinary Tourism in Tanzania
by Carlos C. Olaechea
Student Carlos C. Olaechea shares some gastronomic images of his spring break trip to Tanzania.
This spring break, I went on a tour of northern Tanzania along with fellow gastronomy student Keith Duhamel and Interim Faculty Coordinator Mary Beaudry as part of Dr. Samuel Mendlinger's course on economic development via tourism in the developing world. In addition to viewing the wildlife that makes this region of Africa a unique tourist destination, we also participated in lectures offered by local experts on tourism, conservation, and community development.
As a gastronomy student, I naturally focused my attention on the local food culture as we drove past coffee plantations, paddies, fields of maize, and herds of zebu cattle. We were able to learn about agricultural practices and traditional foods and beverages, as well as sample the cuisines of the various native and immigrant groups that call Tanzania home.
The course, offered by Metropolitan College's Administrative Sciences department and open to gastronomy students interested in tourism development, is offered each spring semester. It is advisable to take one other tourism course in the department, such as Cultural Tourism (ML 692), prior to taking this course. For more information about the course, as well as other tourism courses, please visit the Administrative Sciences website.
The Inside Scoop on BU’s Culinary Lab
by Claudia Catalano
Student Claudia Catalano presents her daily experiences in the BU Gastronomy culinary lab on her new blog.
Since I began pursuing my MLA in Gastronomy in 2012, I've always dreamed of taking the Culinary Lab. I'm a good home cook, but I've never been formally trained in proper French technique, food safety, how to perfect timing, or how to cook for big crowds. Yet for the past two and a half years, I would make excuses about how impractical it would be to enroll. It's a big commitment, but I finally decided in December that I would be full of regret if I didn't include the lab as part of my Gastronomy degree. So I took a leave of absence from my job (yikes!) and now spend 4 days a week, from 10:30 AM to 6:oo PM, at 808 Commonwealth Avenue, the home of the BU Gastronomy program.
What a fulfilling way to be spending my time. Not only am I being introduced to professional cooking techniques, but I also have the privilege of learning from 21 well-respected chefs who will be teaching the program this semester. Michael Leviton of Lumiere, Mary Ann Esposito of PBS, Barry Maiden of Hungry Mother, and Jeremy Sewall of Island Creek Oyster Bar are just a few of the talented instructors with whom I will work during the 14-week class. And, of course, there is the much-anticipated 2-day segment taught by the program's co-founder, Jacques Pépin. What a thrill!
As part of the course assignments, I am required to keep a daily journal of my class experiences. I have decided to treat mine as a blog, which you can view here: www.thegastronomyfiles.com. If you're thinking about enrolling in the Culinary Lab, this is an inside view. Take a look and you may decide to make your dream a reality, too.
The Culinary Lab is offered each semester and meets Monday through Thursday from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM. Besides counting as elective credits in the Gastronomy MLA program, students who successfully complete the lab receive a Certificate in Culinary Arts from Boston University.
Working at Momofuku Milk Bar
by Kendall Vanderslice
Student Kendall Vanderslice recounts her experience shadowing Pastry Chef Christina Tosi at Momofuku Milk Bar's Williamsburg kitchen.
When I was in elementary school, every trip to my grandmother’s house included preparing a boxed cake mix. At home, my family maintained a diet free of sugar, dairy, meat, and anything flavorful, but at Gramma’s we indulged on all of the treats typically withheld. We ate Pop-Tarts for breakfast, ice cream after dinner, and we learned to bake with boxed mixes by Betty Crocker. Pastry Chef Christina Tosi, the creative force behind Momofuku Milk Bar, shares in this nostalgic love for cereals, candies, and cakes, using their flavors as inspiration for all of her bakery’s treats. Over winter break, I visited Milk Bar’s Brooklyn kitchen to spend two days working with the pastry team, gaining a behind-the-scenes look at the operation.
I was first introduced to the desserts of Christina Tosi last Christmas when my chef gave me a copy of her cookbook, Milk. That evening, I devoured the book like a novel, entranced by Tosi’s humor and her whimsical approach to pastry. A few months later, I visited Milk Bar’s Midtown Manhattan store, excited to find that her treats lived up to my expectations. This past October, Ms. Tosi spoke at one of Harvard University’s Science and Cooking seminars. After the lecture, I introduced myself and asked if I might be able to spend a few days in January shadowing her pastry team, to which she eagerly obliged.
My first day began at 8:30 am. When I arrived, the team of sous chefs had already prepared a list of tasks for me to accomplish. I began by assisting the head baker in preparing sheet trays to bake off cookies.
“Today is a light day,” she told me. “Only 22 sheets.”
After showing me the pan spray, parchment, and stacks of sheet trays, she left to fetch the cookies while I prepped the trays. I neatly sprayed, papered, and stacked 22 trays just in time for her return.
“22 sheets, right?” I asked for confirmation.
Giggling, she turned her rack of pre-portioned cookie dough for me to see. “22 sheets of portioned dough,” she responded. “That’s 220 sheet trays; about 3,000 cookies.”
Amused at my novice mistake, I returned to spraying sheet trays for another hour. When all of the trays were prepped, I assisted in laying the cookies onto the sheets and organizing the racks to go into the oven.
Once that task was complete, I moved on to some side projects. I processed peanut brittle into a powder, sorted birthday cake crumbs into containers of fine crumbs, medium-sized crumbs, and too-big-for-a-single-bite crumbs. I molded piecrusts, portioned cake batter, cooked family meal, and blowtorched marshmallows. As a guest in the kitchen, I was not allowed to operate the mixers or ovens; nonetheless there was no shortage of ways for my hands to stay busy in the kitchen.
The volume of production at Milk Bar was magnificently greater than any kitchen I have worked in before. Milk Bar products are sold at seven different storefronts, as well as on the dessert menus at Momofuku’s fine dining restaurants, and all are made in the kitchen in Williamsburg. Originally a warehouse, the kitchen space houses five floor-to-ceiling ovens, three 140-quart mixers, two 80-quart mixers, and one or two work tables for each of the ten pastry cooks. In addition to bakers, the pastry department consists of an extensive management team. Most cooks who stay with Milk Bar beyond one year have the opportunity to work their way into a management position, receiving training not only on the production side of the operation but on the logistical side as well.
The days at Milk Bar were long and tiring, but the team bonded as a family and aimed to keep the work fun. Music blasted all day long, warming the atmosphere of the warehouse space. Every cook commented on his love for his job or her respect for management. By the end of two days, I felt as if they’d already adopted me as a member of the team. Exhausted, I traveled home to Boston, already awaiting my next trip to Milk Bar to sample whatever creative treats a popular cereal or candy might yet inspire.
Make sure to check out Kendall's other endeavors and musings on the intersections of food, faith, and culture by checking out her blog: www.avandersliceofthesweetlife.com.
January 2015 Issue of GJFS Now Available
The January 2015 issue of the Graduate Journal of Food Studies is now available. Students from Harvard University, the University of Gastronomic Sciences, and our own Boston University Gastronomy program collaborate on managing and editing the biyearly journal. This latest issue includes original research from alumni Chris Maggiolo (’14) and Gabriel Mitchel (’14). Maggiolo’s article addresses an anthropological perspective on home winemaking among Italian Americans in Boston, while Mitchell’s article focuses on the performative experience of cooking in the moment. In addition to articles representing different areas of food studies, the journal also contains reviews of books that students and seasoned food scholars alike would consider adding to their bookshelves.
The journal is available to view for free on the Graduate Association of Food Studies (GAFS) website.
The GAFS is also accepting submissions for its next issue. This is a great way for students to publish any papers they wrote for classes, as well as to bring attention to the great food studies research BU Gastronomy students are conducting. The deadline is March 31st, 2015.
Meet Spring 2015’s New Gastronomy Students, Part II
We are pleased to have another great cohort joining the Boston University Gastronomy Program. These new students have been asked to submit a picture of themselves, a short bio, and what they love most about food.
Kelsey Munger grew up in a small town outside Boston and has been working at various bakeries and food related jobs since high school. Since a young age she has also learned to navigate the food world and create enjoyable food that accommodate her food allergies. Allow her food allergies provide limitations, it never discouraged her from following the path she’s always found most intriguing. She graduated with a B.A in Sociology and a minor in Human Development from Connecticut College. During this time she worked as the head baker of the on campus cafe blending local ingredients into bakery staples for stressed out college students. She was also a selected scholar for her school’s community action program.
This passion for community engagement and food eventually collided as she completed her senior independent study in the connection between food and identity specifically relating to the Eastern Pequot Tribe of Eastern Connecticut. This was just the start of her interest in exploring food and policy which eventually guided her to the gastronomy program at BU.
Kelsey currently works as a baker at a gourmet gluten free bakery in Belmont, Ma and eventually hopes to open up her own bakery that uses food to bring communities together
Kiersten Vincent grew up in small agricultural community in Illinois where she developed an appreciation for farmers and local produce. She loves to travel and learn about new places, and understands that a great way to learn about new places is through experiencing the local cuisine and cultural dining customs. Her love of travel and maternal heritage prompted her to study German. She received her degree from the University of Illinois which included a one year study abroad in Vienna. Whether she’s donning a Dirndl and drinking liters of beer at Oktoberfest, eating a Wiener Schnitzel larger than her head in Vienna, or loving every bit of the Blues, Brews and BBQ fest in the hometown of her alma mater, she’s enjoying life through food and travel.
She sampled many different avenues through employment and scholastic courses in search of that perfect career. Though every path resulted in a dead end, her passion for food and travel consistently prevailed. She finally realized the prospect of a career that incorporates both food and travel by learning of the Gastronomy program and researching the career possibilities. She is excited to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge and experience she will gain through the program and is eager to start the process towards a career as a Food and Wine Consultant.
Dani Willcutt hails from Michigan where one drinks “pop” instead of “soda” and one of the Great Lakes is always within close proximity. In her free time Dani travels as much as possible (always with a list of must-try local food). Her most recent focus has been on the South and, “trust me,” she says, “Cities like Charleston, South Carolina have a lot to offer.” Besides cooking and eating Dani also enjoys yoga, writing, and all things artistic. She is now learning the science of baking (which has thus far lead only to burnt toffee and granola). Since moving to Boston in 2012 Dani has served, bartended and managed her way through the city’s restaurant scene, evolving her love for the culinary world into a full blown passion. Dani is the bar director for a popular Cambridge restaurant where she focuses on classic techniques and ingredients while maintaining the restaurant’s local aesthetic. She also handles the restaurant’s social media presence and in-house marketing. This multi-level approach has played a big part in furthering her understanding of the restaurant and food industry. Dani can’t wait to begin classes at BU where she can meet and work with like-minded individuals who share her passion for the world of food.
Emily Milliken Taylor has recently moved back to the northeast from Austin, Texas, where she spent three years figuring out that her bachelor's degree in art history was fun, but ultimately not her passion. She worked in some restaurants and met some cool people and figured out she really just wants to talk about food all the time. Her hope is that furthering her education with the gastronomy program will allow her to pursue a career that nurtures her ability to spread her passion for food to others through education, philanthropy and entrepreneurship. And it would be really great if she could focus on updating her recipe blog more often.
She currently works for Columbus Hospitality Group in the reservations office and has a truly impressive customer service voice. It's a full octave higher than her actual voice and people often confuse her with a 12 year old. She likes taking silly photos and generally prefers frivolity. She's not sure about this whole cold thing but she's originally from Maine and she used to really like to ski. She does really miss Mexican food and mezcal, so she might move back to Texas someday. In the meantime she'll be practicing her dinner party skills and perfecting her chowder recipe.
Khine (“Stephanie”) Zin Win has been inspired to enter the hospitality industry through her wanderlust and culinary experiences she has had traveling around the world. Born and raised in the once isolated Burma (Myanmar), she was privileged to be able to study abroad as an international student in other countries. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management from University of Massachusetts Amherst, and studied abroad in Switzerland for a semester as well. At Boston University, she plans to complete the business focus area within the Gastronomy Program.
Khine has been exposed to both the traditional Burmese culture of hospitality and cuisine, as well as global professional hospitality through her work experience at a five star hotel in Burma and hospitality courses while pursuing her Bachelor’s degree. Her time in the kitchen is mostly spent with cake-flour powdered on her face and a spatula in her hand. As a foodie, her experiences have taken her beyond boundaries from experiencing barbeque snakes and spiders in Cambodia to escargot in Paris. During family trips, while her family relaxes in hotel rooms, she will be out searching for the “Must-Eat Food” of the destination she is visiting. Moreover, she is inspired by the story telling side of any food she is eating. To her, every dish comes with a story and she believes the stories enhance the flavor and experience of the dish. Coming from the other side of the world, Khine looks forward to sharing her Burmese culture with students in Gastronomy Program. Her passion to let others experience what she had experienced through her journey of Hospitality will allow her to bring out the best in everyone around her.