Do you like food? Rather, do you love taking time during your meal to savor the texture, flavor, and smell of what you’re eating? If so, you have a lot in common with Alice Waters, a remarkable woman who was recently profiled on “60 Minutes” AND in the March 22nd edition of the “New York Times”, which crowned her “the mother of slow food”.
The phrase “slow food” can be a bit misleading—it is hardly about a slow waiter at a restaurant. It’s actually a world-wide movement that is dedicated to the preservation of national cuisines and the promotion of healthy eating. If you are interested in careers in health, conservation, and education, Alice Waters and her Slow Food movement are definitely important topics to know.
Waters has recently pushed legislators to put more funding into a more healthy organic school lunch program. This program has already been exercised on a small scale in Berkley, California through the Edible Schoolyard program. At Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, students take a class that focuses on growing their own fruits and vegetables on school grounds. Additionally, children have the opportunity to learn how to cook what they’ve grown—which fosters a love of fresh foods and helps to prevent childhood obesity. Even First Lady Michelle Obama is jumping on the organic food bandwagon and is planning on growing a garden on the White House lawn.
Ms. Waters is also having a huge impact on farm policy and the conservation industry. She is pushing for the government to encourage small farmers to grow a diverse array of crops, halt our dependency on fossil fuels to transport food, and to conservation programs that protect the environment. Thanks to her tireless efforts, we can go to our neighborhood grocery store (and even Wal-Mart!) to buy organic foods.
Even President Obama is getting on board with Alice Waters’ emphasis on eating locally, organically, and nutritiously. The current administration is planning a complete overhaul of the health care system, which Waters hopes will include an emphasis on nutrition to prevent diseases like heart and stroke. As part of the economic stimulus package, the Agriculture Department plans to award $250 million in loans for local and regional food networks.
If you are looking for a whole new eating experience and want to see Alice Waters in action, you should check out her California restaurant, Chez Panisse. As one of the first establishments to insist on hormone-free meats and fresh, local produce, Chez Panisse brought eating local and organic food into the spotlight. For those of you who are thinking of entering the hospitality, food services, or culinary track, it is now important to keep in mind that people are becoming more conscious of eating healthfully and sustainably.
Culinary schools are also getting involved by offering courses in nutrition and teaching chefs-in-training how to cook with organic fruits and vegetables. So, all you foodies out there might want to pay close attention to the news—there are exciting events in the works!
Career of the Month:
So you’ve decided to go to culinary school. That’s exciting! But have you given any thought to what you would like to do after you earn your culinary degree?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers held 3.1 million jobs in 2006. Job opportunities for these professions are expected to be plentiful because of the continued growth and expansion of food services outlets.
There are many career paths to consider in the culinary field. Here are just a few:
Executive Chef- Executive chefs oversee the kitchen staff as well as meal preparation. They are the ones who determine meal portions. They are also responsible for menu planning and pricing, developing new dishes, ordering kitchen supplies, hiring and firing the kitchen staff, and much more.
Sous Chef-“Sous” means “under” in French. This means the sous chef ranks right below the executive chef in the kitchen hierarchy. The sous chef assists the executive chef in supervising the kitchen staff. The sous chef also runs the kitchen in the executive chef’s absence. The sous chef’s duties may also include food preparation, and assisting the executive chef with menu planning. But the chef’s top priority is to make sure the kitchen runs smoothly.
Food Prep Worker-Food prep workers get ingredients ready for complex dishes. They slice and dice vegetables and make salads and other cold dishes. They also weigh and measure out ingredients, grind meats, strain soups and sauces, clean work areas and more.
Pastry Chef- Pastry Chefs are highly skilled in making desserts, pastries and many other baked goods. Pastry Chefs supervise and coordinate activities of the pastry staff. They meet with other restaurant chefs to assist in menu planning and pairing of desserts with the featured entrees. Pastry Chefs also test and evaluate new pastry and dessert recipes and prepare a budget for their department.
Personal Chef-Personal Chefs prepare meals in their customers’ homes. They cater to their client’s preferences. They do the grocery shopping, prepare and package meals, and clean the kitchen. They may work for celebrities, busy professionals, senior citizens and people with special dietary needs.
Sommelier-Sommeliers, or wine stewards, specialize in all aspects of wine service. They are responsible for creating wine lists and training the restaurant staff on wine delivery. They also work with the chefs to pair and suggest wines that will compliment the dishes on the menu.
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