There are a lot of reasons to love being a teacher but among the most rewarding is hearing from students months and even years after the class has ended.  Molly Kendall called yesterday. She graduated from the CIA in 2007. It was her idea to invite my personal friends to write about their specific careers for my Food Jobs book.

At first I was hesitant, thinking this was a huge imposition, but every single person responded immediately and enthusiastically: Nach Waxman owner of my favorite store contributed an essay about his life at Kitchen Arts & Letters, so did Barbara Haber who laid the foundation of the cookbook collection at the Schlessenger Library and literary agent Lisa Ekus and Delores Custer the Queen of food styling. Betty Fussell, Darra Goldstein (Gastronomica) and Anne Willan and David Robinson described their work as did dozens of others who provided wonderful insights and really useful information for the readers.

They say it is lonely being a writer. What rubbish! When I look at my network of cherished friends, I realize I am part of a lovely, celebratory, constantly hungry crowd of food lovers. This makes me rich beyond my wildest dreams.

Santa's 2011 Chocolate Sleigh Contents Courtesy of CIA Student Clara Krueger

Clara Krueger, a charming young CIA (Culinary Institute of America) baking and pastry arts student, arrived fresh from her baking class. She brought with her this enchanting chocolate sleigh filled with festive fondant packages. I was delighted and astonished and greatly admired her accomplishment.

I was happy indeed when she gave it to me.

Clara’s gift reminded me of the time when we lived in a small suburban community in Long Island. It was an interesting neighborhood, a dormitory town for New York set around a bay.

It appealed to a wonderfully diverse group of people.

Some had lived there for ages and others were more recent arrivals. Many were from other countries, mostly European. The family living on one side of us was Austrian and neighbors on the other side were from Israel. There were French, Swedish and Irish families, and a lot of lovely mixtures. I, being British, formed one of these with my American husband.

Our first year, a quite spontaneous thing happened.

I remember that we, our children and two dogs, went next door carrying a lighted ship’s lantern that I had given my husband for his birthday a year or so before. We knocked on the door and sang a carol while we were waiting for our neighbors to answer it. I can’t sing at all, so this must have been a daring thing to do. I don’t remember now who even thought of it.

I do remember though, the delight in our friends’ faces and how we all decided to go to the next house together and sing another carol.  And so we did. The snowball snowballed until there were perhaps 60 or more of us.

We still talk about those times, with memories of little kids happy to be up late, dogs let off the leash, and flickering candles and lanterns and pockets full of warm gingerbread cookies one of the families had just baked.

The following year we organized things a little — though not too much — and when we got cold and had had enough, everyone came back to our house. We had a big pot of French onion soup and some Beaujolais Nouveau — it was the “in” drink at that time — and everyone brought the traditional treats of their own country.

I remember one of the older kids had made a lute, and she sat on the floor in front of the fire and the younger children sang with her.

Last evening, we had another little party to invite our neighbors to meet each other, many for the first time for our very own “tree lighting”. It was a simple affair — just hot chocolate (with the offer of a spike of bourbon or other spirit of the season) and, gingerbread cookies, mincemeat tarts and cider doughnuts. While the Christmas carols were ready for the singing, we decided to leave that tradition for next year.

What is old is new again: a tradition has begun. Onion soup next time!

Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY

Gone are the days when college meal times meant an uninspiring trek with a tray to steam tables with a grumpy cashier at the end of the assembly line.

Dining at colleges and universities has grown into a whopping $4.6 billion dollar industry. Students are demanding locally grown, top-quality ingredients for both quickly prepared and more sophisticated meals. They have a well-defined social and eco-awareness and are insisting on a sustainable cuisine.

Sourcing Food Locally

Determined to shape the way future chefs do business, the Culinary Institute of America is the first college in the nation known to have a farm liaison. Paul Wigsten, produce buyer at the Hyde Park, NY campus and a 10th-generation farmer, leads the culinary school’s practice of buying food locally.

Universities like UMass Amherst formed a culinary collaboration with five nearby colleges that resulted in more local buying. The school is also a partner of Seafood WATCH, a program designed to raise awareness about the importance of eating fish that is not endangered.

These days, chefs have taken up residence on campuses everywhere. They are working in attractive kitchens, brightly-lit dining rooms and casual café settings with comfortable armchairs, couches, Wi-Fi access and flat screen TVs. These areas are designed for socializing and studying as well as eating.

A few college campuses have bistros and even fine dining facilities for special occasions. Others organize separate stations offering everything from sushi and salads to coffee and ice cream bars.

Students can sit at a counter, chat with the chef, and learn how to cook. Separate pantries are stocked with fresh ingredients for those who want to prepare their own food.

Another option is to place an online order for freshly-made sandwiches and daily specials to carry out.

Requests for dietary requirements are respected and there is something good to eat at every hour of the day and night in some colleges and universities.

The emphasis at higher education schools has changed dramatically from institutional food to locally grown ingredients. The new college chefs are willing to respond to requests for ethnic foods and nostalgia for Mom’s home cooking.

Getting Started as a College Chef

Though many dining facilities are contracted to Sodexo or Aramark, some schools employ their own staff. The director of food services will almost certainly have achieved a degree from a professional culinary school and have several years of food service experience.

Perks

If money is an issue, remember: certain Ivy League colleges, universities and states in the Union encourage lifelong learning by subsidizing undergraduate and graduate-level courses through the Tuition Assistance Plan (TAP) program. This benefit is available to all dining hall employees.

It is a great way to enhance career skills or pursue a personal academic interest. TAP can help finance courses as well as job-related courses. Classes are only $40 at the Harvard Extension School – the most popular choice of staff at Harvard – as well as 10 percent of the tuition at other eligible Harvard programs, including the graduate schools of education, government, public health, design and more options.

The National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) also offers information about internship, scholarships and job openings.

Portrait of Success

Since 1997, Ted Mayer has directed Harvard University Dining Services, (HUDS), the country’s oldest, and one of the largest, self-operated collegiate dining services. He has over 30 years of food service experience to guide him as he leads the delivery of 25,000 meals a day, nearly 5 million meals annually to Harvard students, faculty, staff and guests.

With $52 million in annual revenues, Harvard Dining employs a staff of roughly 600 in 30 operations that include residential, catering and restaurant operations. In addition to dining, Mayer oversees the campus’ debit card program, Crimson Cash, which has grown to annual usage of almost $15 million.

Maybe it’s time to pull up a chair and consider a return to this kind of college life.