Volume 38, No. 3
March 3, 2017
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Capstone Aids Refugees Ex-Noma Chef Reinvents School Lunch BY: Ethan Reynolds, AOS Culinary
The Applied Food Studies Bachelor’s program is designed to prepare students for a multitude of opportunities in the food industry. This program encompasses a broad array of classes to help students better understand the issues that affect the restaurant, hospitality, and overall “food” industry, with emphasis placed on sustainability and food justice. Examples of classes include Food Policy, Food History, Anthropology of Food, and the Capstone project. In the final semester of the Applied Food Studies program, students have the opportunity to take part in a Capstone project led by Dr. Maureen Costura. This project is very freeform and student guided; the end goal is to make a food-related impact in the immediate community. Currently, Food Studies students are working on three separate projects: one group of students is working with a local elementary school to build a
schoolyard garden, another group is working to establish an apiary (cultivated beehive) on campus behind Hudson Hall, and the third and final group is working to welcome refugees into Poughkeepsie. After President Trump’s executive order to ban travel between the United States and specific countries which were perceived to have an increased prevalence of terrorism, the Food Studies project found itself with no refugees to welcome. I spoke with Gabriel Concordia, a seventh-term Food Studies student working on this Capstone project, to hear his perspective on this issue. “The refugee project is one of the new major projects we have been working on, with an organization called Church World Service. They have many bases around the country, [and they are] starting a base in Poughkeepsie.” After doing some research, I learned that Church World Service has been taking an active approach to helping refugees become in-
BY: Amanda Lamperti, AOS Culinary
It is fairly safe to say that almost every chef, culinary student, and foodie has heard of the famed Copenhagen restaurant, Noma, for its unique and pristine take on Nordic ingredients and preparations. San Pellegrino has placed Noma in the top rankings of the world’s best restaurants and in the number one spot in their annual ratings. The amount of passion, persistence, and pure sweat and dedication it takes to run a kitchen like this is among the talents of very few, and one of those individuals is their former chef de cuisine (and 2004 CIA alum), Dan Guisti. Chef Guisti has defi-
nitely earned the right to run one of the world’s best restaurants through his raw talents and leadership skills in the kitchen. Guisti learned to be the go-to-guy of all the cooks in the kitchen as well as the right-hand man of Chef Rene Redzepi. Guisti found the assurance in himself to leave the world’s number one restaurant and work to solve a problem that has been long neglected, school lunches. With making the decision to come back to the U.S., Guisti decided to become the Chef of his own company, Brigaid, serves healthy school lunches to the students of New London,
Connecticut. Brigaid not only focuses on exposing students to sustainable school lunches that taste good, but also makes this 45minute daily routine something that is enjoyable and memorable for students. Guisti has hired professional chefs that know how to serve high quality food, which definitely makes lunch time something to look forward to. By utilizing the perfectionist mindset of a Michelin-starred Chef to confront the challenge of pleasing some of the pickiest eaters you will ever meet, Guisti and his team set themselves up for daily challenges in hopes to end up with victories.
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THE CIA’S APPLIED FOOD STUDIES CAPSTONE CLASS WILL BE HOSTING AN EVENT TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE PROCESS THAT REFUGEES GO THROUGH. WE WILL BE SHOWING THE DOCUMENTARY Brigaid cooks prepare a meal for the students.
THE LAND BETWEEN
Big Data Plays Role in Food Safety
BY: Alex Talbot, AOS Culinary
WE WILL HAVE A GUEST SPEAKING AFTER THE MOVIE (TBA) AS WELL AS A SHORT RECEPTION WITH SNACKS.
SATURDAY, MARCH 4 AT 5 PM - 8:30 PM Marriott Pavilion THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA 1946 CAMPUS DR, HYDE PARK, NEW YORK 12538
photo courtesy: Gabe Concordia
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New NYC Restaurants
Food safety and sanitation, it’s a necessity of the food and beverage industry. While the goal is to prevent an outbreak, sometimes things happen. The old way of documenting and recording food borne illnesses and outbreaks was cumbersome. However, with the use of big data, managing and preventing food borne outbreaks has become easier. What is Big Data? A study done by McKinsey & Company in 2011 defined big data as “datasets whose size is beyond the ability of typical database software tools to capture, store, manage, and analyze.” All this means is that Big Data is just a
large set of information that needs a new way being handled. A common use for Big Data could be weather. More recently it is being used to predict consumer behaviors. Companies, like Google and Facebook, record information through their users account and then use it to enhance their services. Walmart even uses information from their security camera to understand how their customers move throughout their store. Recently companies and the government have been applying big data to keep track of genome mapping, monitoring hazards, and predicting new outbreaks. The genome is the map of the genetic material of a living
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thing. A pathogen might have different forms or strains of itself. By mapping the genetic material of a strain, scientists can learn different characteristics of a strain. If scientist can pinpoint the different characteristics, then the food and beverage industry can protect itself better. The FDA has created a network called GenomeTrakr where they can trace pathogens back to their source. Using a process called whole genome sequencing, or WGS, the FDA can link specific strains to certain farms or processing plants. Another way Big Data helps with food safety is monitoring hazards. With the explosion of social media, a lot of data is
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photo courtesy: Kevin Lo/Brigaid
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CIA Greystone Campus
LA PAPILLOTE
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Editorial
Papillote
THE NEWSPAPER OF THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA SINCE 1979
En
March 3, 2017
PUBLISHER The Student Affairs Division EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dan Salisbury LAYOUT EDITOR Alexis Brown ADVERTISING MANAGER Sue Haug CONTRIBUTORS Fancesca Zani Joe Piccirillo Dan Salisbury Khori Eubanks Mike Feist Ethan Reynolds Frank Risole Alex Talbot Shelly Loveland
Leslie Jennings April Johnson Joe Antonello Kevin Markey Devon Alsakkaf Sarika Mehta Gabe Concordia Associate Dean Whalen Matt Ivins
COMPACT
La Papillote, the Newspaper of the Culinary Institute of America since 1979, is dedicated to respecting the mission, history and values of the college. Our primary purpose is to report the news of the institution to the students and other members of the campus community. We examine contemporary issues of the food service and hospitality industries to inform, challenge and develop the minds of students as they aspire to leadership roles in their chosen profession. We reflect the diverse views of the student body and provide a forum for civil discussion. Above all else, in our reporting and features, we strive to be accurate, fair, unbiased and free from distortion. Whenever we portray someone in a negative light or accuse a party of wrongdoing, we will make a real effort to obtain and print a response from that subject in the same issue. We will not plagiarize. Articles and features are expected to be independent assessments on a topic by an individual author. The views expressed are those of the author’s alone. They do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of La Papillote or its staff, nor do they represent the views or opinions of The Culinary Institute of America, or any entity of, or affiliated with the college.
FOOD REVIEW POLICY
As a valuable part of our content, La Papillote offers restaurant reviews. It is in the best interest of our readership to be honest, accurate and fair in providing information and judgment on these establishments. Reviews will reflect the writer’s opinions about the menu, atmosphere and service. Whenever possible, reviews will be conducted with complete anonymity. Permission from the restaurants will not be secured prior. All issues of La Papillote are available online, therefore, the critiqued restaurants, along with the public, can view editions at anytime on the web.
EDITORIAL POLICY
La Papillote welcomes submissions of work from students, chefs and outside professionals. The decision to print is based on the following criteria: quality of content, value of content to our readers, quality of writing, originality, objectivity, layout, and verifiability. Besides the Editor, there are two Copy Editors who read over submitted articles. Major changes will be reported to writers before the issue goes out. However, any other changes that need to be edited close to the deadline may or may not be forwarded to writers. This is due to the fact of lack of time. It is asked for writers to trust the Editor’s decision at this point during layout. Please direct all submissions to: Dan Salisbury, Editor-In-Chief at lapapillote.culinary@gmail.com.
From the Editor’s Desk March 3, 2017
Dear Fellow Students,
*Before I get too far into my editor’s letter, I’d like to thank Associate Dean Dave Whalen for his ten years of service to the CIA community. On behalf of La Papillote staff and the Student Affairs Division, we wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. I started washing dishes in my neighbor’s bar at fifteen. It was here where I truly learned how to put my head down and work hard. I didn’t work often; I had classes during the week, there were labor laws in place that I had to follow, and I was often busy with sports and other activities in high school. I had the security of being a middle-class American teenager, and this gave me the freedom and the ability to find comfort in venting to my parents (who supported my financially) as I came home from work each day. I spent many long nights working side by side with men from various countries. Some were legal immigrants or naturalized citizens, and many were not. Regardless of this, the men in that kitchen became part of my extended family. They were extremely hard workers, and I aspired to obtain the same work ethic that they had. I do not think I would have known what it truly meant to work hard if it was not for these long nights in the kitchen with these individuals. These men made a positive impact in my life, and some of them were not legally in this country. I’m sure this story may resonate personally with a few of you. As future leaders of the restaurant and hospitality industry, we must be aware of how political issues, such as immigration restrictions, impact our chosen professions. Immigration remains a fiery topic in politics. I am not preaching a certain side over another in this debate, but I only wish to highlight diversity within our campus. As I mention in my interview with a fellow student, Devon, I believe that it is important to understand that regardless of who you are, where you come from, the religion you practice, or the color of your skin, we all come to the CIA to become leaders in this industry. We all eat, we all drink, we all share dinner with those that we love, and we all love to cook for those that we love. At the CIA, we preach that “Food Is Life,” and I believe that we have this awesome responsibility, as members of the CIA campus community, to prove this. By sharing stories, food, and coming together through the power of commensality, I think that we can truly celebrate the amazing diversity here on campus, and make a true impact through sharing our passion with those from all walks of life.
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the Editor may not exceed 250 words and they should be exclusive to La Papillote. In selecting letters, the editors try to present a balance of views. We reserve the right to edit for space, clarity, civility and accuracy, and will send you the edited version before publication. If your letter is selected, we will try to reach you in necessary cases to verify the letter’s authenticity, to clarify your motivation, to clarify your relation to the subject for our readers or to verify facts or sources. Letters to the Editor may be sent to lapapillote.culinary@gmail.com with “Letter to the Editor - For Publication” in the subject line. Please include your phone number.
Dan Salisbury Editor-in-Chief
Alexis Brown Layout Editor
Alison Sprong Copy Editor
Joe Piccirillo Social Media Editor
April Johnson Jr. Copy Editor
Liz Lucinese Jr. Copy Editor
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March 3,2017
State of the County Address at CIA
BY: Kevin Markey, BPS Applied Food Studies, SGA President
For the 2nd consecutive year, the CIA hosted the Dutchess County Executive’s State of the County address. County Executive Mark Molinaro, stood in front of a packed Marriott Pavilion and spoke on many matters of great importance. The theme of the address was ‘Think Dutchess’ which he expressed repeatedly throughout his speech. I am not originally from Dutchess County, most of us here at school are not. However for the time being, we do call it home. Sitting in the Marriott by myself, but surrounded by judges, mayors, members the State Assembly, and members of the U.S. House of Representatives, I was proud to call Dutchess County my temporary home. ‘Think Dutchess’ encompasses several ideas, but the one of the points that County Executive Molinaro continued to
drive home was that of thinking differently. I took to understand this as thinking outside the box. He announced an initiative to increase spending on youth and senior services, drug addiction, and mental health over the next year. Included in that was a plan to build a state of the art senior cen-
eral great schools, but Dutchess Community College is a stepping stone for many looking to begin their post-secondary schooling. A major part of this process is the vocational classes and certificates offered at DCC. The Dutchess Community College Aviation Education Center is in the works and
photo courtesy: www.content.govdelivery.com
ter, with health and recreational services available onsite. Dutchess County is home to sev-
will offer classes for those wanting to pursue a career in aeronautics by working hands-on at the
Campus Hudson Valley Regional Airport. Dutchess County is attempting to keep current business here and thriving in numerous ways, while also trying to bring new business here as well. The Dutchess County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and Local Development Corporation (LDC) have adopted policies that benefit local jobs directly by requiring any new construction jobs in the county hire locally. Another integral aspect of the ‘Think Dutchess’ mentality is that of planning for the future and taking care of the children. Mr. Molinaro had many things to say on this, and it was arguably his most impassioned topic of his speech. He announced that the County has pledged a $100,000 to the Boys and Girls Club in order to launch a comprehensive and educational after-school program
for grades K-8. Another $500,000 for a full review of the existing programs to identify any gaps in education. He also announced $1.5 million for a youth services center. The body of his work however seems to be centered on that of helping people with mental and/or physical disabilities, whether it be his work to bring the Special Olympics New York State Winter Games to Poughkeepsie, or his announcement that the Dutchess County Parks Division is looking to build an entire park that will be accessible to everyone. Lastly, he promised expanded services to Veterans in the form of peer-to-peer support and transportation options in partnership with Disabled American Veterans. It was an honor and privilege to witness the address.
Photos of the Block
BY: Joe Antonello, AOS Culinary
This recent wine tasting, hosted by the Bacchus Wine Society, paired sweet wines with desserts. Most of the desserts are made by the students. The club paired Moscato with Peaches, Vin Santo with Nut Biscotti, Pedro Ximenez with Fior de Latte gelato, Port with Chocolate, and Banyules with Toffee. The club hosts wine
tastings and pairings often and try to get wines that are not normally available to the students. At the “Jewish Deli Night”, the Jewish Student Union served hot and cold turkey and regular pastrami. It was served with Rye bread and traditional jewish toppings and condiments.
BY: Frank Risole, Staff Contributor
photo courtesy: Joe Antonello (above), Frank Risole(top right), Sarika Mehta (right)
The boys of Dope Chefs are your winners of the annual Polar Bowl Flag Football Tournament and take home the coveted Snow Ball trophy. Dope Chefs won the
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championship game beating team McLovin 55-44. A late interception in the final two minutes secured the victory for Dope Chefs. Thank you all who attended.
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LA PAPILLOTE
Features
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Chef Guisti makes his rounds during the Community Dinner which occurs every Wednesday. photo courtesy: Kevin Lo/Brigaid
So, what exactly made Guisti want to retire the tweezers and replace them with the lunch lady apron? During a phone interview with Guisti, he talks about the school lunches he ate as a kid. He recalls, “Quite honestly when I was growing up, I brought lunch. Always. It’s something I didn’t even think of, I was fortunate enough to come from a family who could do that for me.” Unfortunately for many kids, lunch is just a few minutes used to break up a long day, and they do not come from a family with parents that can pack them lunch. The lunches provided by most schools are unattractive, fried, filled with preservatives, and are almost universally gross. Nothing can bring a kid down more than going without food for six hours, which in some cases is what they are doing because they would rather throw their food away than eat it. The robotic mindset of these students just agrees with this because it happens so often, and educators put in no real thought or care into the value lunch time can have in their educational development. Guisti expands saying, “For me, what I ate was not even a real memory, and I think that’s the problem. These days in schools, lunch is just like an obligation, and that you have to eat lunch at some point. It’s not really a time where you’re looking forward to it… and I think it’s getting worse.
In schools now, there’s a lot of rules regarding where you sit and you can’t even enjoy yourself.” Guisti and his team feel so passionately about this issue that they knowingly walk into work every day with a crowd of students with some very tricky taste buds they have to please. They’re just kids, so what do they really know about good food? According to Guisti, apparently they know a lot. Guisti, a very well-respected chef from the best restaurant in the world, deals with his fair share of rejects and spit-outs from kids that are not even old enough to order for themselves when they go out to eat. “One thing that’s pretty amazing cooking for the kids is that they’re extremely honest and sometimes, quite honestly you’ll hear things that are tough to hear…When kids don’t like something, they’ll tell you every which way. Depending on the age, they’ll use very choiced language. But the other thing that’s tough is that their palates are very different. We’re cooking for kids who haven’t been exposed to many different flavors. It can be challenging in the sense that we make food we think is really delicious, and then the kids won’t like it. And, that’s really all that matters. ..In our world, we cook for kids, and it doesn’t matter that these kids haven’t been exposed to these foods. If they don’t like
it, they don’t like. It’s a hard thing I think for us chefs because you kind of have to drop your ego. It’s a humbling experience in so many ways.” When comparing the high paying clientele from Noma to the young students of New London, Guisti does not skip a beat to explain that these students are the tougher critics. “In restaurants like Noma, I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out who was telling the truth and who wasn’t telling the truth… especially in a place like Noma, God knows why people want to say things. I mean, people would come into that restaurant just to look for problems. Or, they say positive things just to look good in front of their friends. Sometimes I think in fine dining restaurants you could almost get away with convincing yourself that everything is ok all the time.” Guisti takes a step back from all the high-pressure chaos he experiences from working at Noma, and gets very heartfelt when he talks about the new customers he aims to please. “But the kids are just so honest and they are just so smart. The things they say are just so smart and simple, and there’s no other reason for them to say it outside of the fact that that’s just what they think.” Most importantly, it is necessary to create relationships with the kids so that they trust something new that is put in from of them for the first time. “At a
very basic level, if it tastes good, they’ll eat it…Even as adults if someone puts food in front of you that you’ve never eaten before with no real explanation, you’ll be apprehensive to eat it…. It’s crucial to get kids to trust you as a friend so that they’ll listen to you when you say, ‘here, give this a shot’, but at the same time if they do try it and they don’t think it’s delicious, they won’t try it again.” The chefs at Brigaid also get the students involved working hands-on in the kitchen. They have developed classes and cooking clubs where the students get to taste their creations. Guisti and his team expand even further than classroom hours to bring the community together with good food in efforts to have students bring these habits back home with them to their families. Every Wednesday night from 5-7 p.m. at the school cafeteria in New London, hundreds of people from the community gather to eat what Chef Guisti and his team create. “After 1, 1:30, these kitchens are empty. In this day in age, people are building these like, incubator kitchens, these spaces all around the country. Most schools have empty kitchens spaces all day. And my thing was why don’t we use these school kitchens to do things. Instead of going to McDonalds you can come the Community Meal [for only $5] and get a meal that would normally cost $10 or $12. And it’s pretty awesome because you get this group of people that you would never otherwise see eating together, just there enjoying themselves.” On top of the daily demands of the students, Chef Gusiti and the Brigaid team must comply to the rules of the federal government. Each meal must fit into a very tight budget of only $1.25 per student. Milk costs
$.27 each. That leaves under $1 to cook a delicious meal for students that is well balanced and provides a certain amount of nutrition weekly to adhere with the USDA Nutritional Guidelines, and when that is accomplished, a victory has been made for Team Guisti and Brigaid. Guisti also explains that he has had to learn what a victory is like in a school setting as compared to one at Noma. “Lunch in school is lunch in school. For example, when people have a lunch at Noma and it’s the best meal they’ve ever had in their life they are going to tell you that. And you get this really, really kind of over the top positive feedback that keeps you going. Whereas in a school, if these kids have a really great meal, in lunch, they just go on with their day… it’s just a different type of feedback… you just have to learn how to just be happy and understand what a victory really is in a school.” Although there are many differences between working in a school kitchen and a restaurant kitchen, Guisti manages to bring the same intensity in both settings. “[At Noma], everyday was very important, no matter what. And I think for me, I was on edge and a little nervous every day. I can say I have brought that into what we’re doing, and I think you can kind of bring that feeling in no matter where you are. So I think as long as you bring that intensity with you, it might not be in the form of running around like that, but as far as being very critical of what you are doing and it is very demanding of the people around you, it still tends to have that same thing.” Next step for Chef Gusti and the Brigaid team… “Just keep growing!”
The Roman Catholic Chapel of Our Lady of the Way (La Madonna della Strada)
Holy Mass Sundays 10:00AM & Noon Holy Days 12:00PM Chaplain: Father Marc Oliver chaplainua@gmail.com Office: 845-331-0436 Cellular: 845-594-9111
Brigaid chefs plan their menu for the day.
photo courtesy: Kevin Lo/Brigaid
ON CAMPUS
March 3, 2017
Features
New NYC Restaurants
BY: Francesca Zani, AOS Culinary
Looking for the latest scoop on the NYC food scene? Anytime a famed restaurateur starts a new venture, pop-up restaurant, or trend, we turn to social media forums such as Facebook, Instagram, Eater.com and the New York Times to get the latest information. According to some of these sources, a few new restaurants that are on the horizon, or have recently opened, include Made Nice by Daniel Humm, ABCV by Jean George, and Charlie Palmer’s Steak House. Daniel Humm and David Guidara (owners of the Make It Nice Restaurant Group) currently own two acclaimed fine dining restaurants, The NoMad and Eleven Madison Park. In March 2017 they will introduce Made Nice. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with a representative from the Make It Nice Restaurant Group. According to my source, Made Nice will be a casual themed restaurant, offering eight to ten moderately priced (twelve to fifteen dollar) dishes. The menu will be inclusive of food items and cooking techniques that Humm and Guidara are known for at their other locations. The Make It Nice Restaurant Group stated that there would be “an ambitious, non-alcoholic beverage program featuring house made sodas as well as an abridged list of beer and wine on tap”. It was also mentioned that the new location would sit adjacent to the current hotel that houses The NoMad restaurant on 8 West 28th Street. Eater.com mentioned some things about the new restaurant concept of EMP and NoMad owners, saying that
Capstone cont’d
tegrated into American society. CWS has been helping the refugees to find a home, a job and a school. With the new Poughkeepsie branch up and rolling, the opportunities are ever-growing for our community to aid in resettling the constant influx of refugees. “From last month until September, we were expecting about 80 refugees to come in from the Levant region as well as Africa.” The project’s goal was, in Gabriel’s words, to “help integrate them into the fabric of our culture.” Gabriel’s team planned for opportunities to work with the host organizations and even the refugees themselves, helping them shop for groceries or preparing food for them. But the travel ban brought these plans to a standstill. Gabriel told me that, “Due to recent changes in federal law, we were only able to receive one family because they were already in transit. The other refugees that we were expecting may not be
the dishes offered are health focused, consisting of veggies, protein, and grains. However, it will not be a meal for customers to pick and choose their own plate combination of sorts, nothing like that. The doors of Made Nice will swing open this spring. Charlie Palmer’s restaurant group owns a plethora of restaurants all over the country including major cities like NYC, Los Angeles, and DC, just to mention a few. One of the restaurants in NYC, Charlie Palmer’s Steak House has been in existence for a few years now. New Year’s Eve was the last night Charlie Palmer’s Steak House served in their original location before moving to their new location in the Archer Hotel on 45 West 38th Street. The menu continues to feature fresh seafood, charcuterie and of course, a variety of steaks. They are also open for breakfast and lunch unlike most of their other locations. Eater NYC makes note of the twenty-nine dollar pre-fixe menu for lunch as well as the massive porterhouse steak (meant to be shared between two people). If you are looking to get away to the city for a weekend, here you have it, a place to stay with breakfast, lunch, and a delicious NY strip steak dinner. Another familiar restaurant group is the Jean George Vongerichten’s Restaurant Group. Jean George not only has restaurants around the USA, but abroad in countries such as China, Japan and France. The French chef is opening another restaurant in; you guessed it, NYC that will appeal to vegans and vegetarians. The name will be ABCV, the V
standing for none other than vegetarian/vegan. Jean George was quoted on Dailymeal.com stating that the menu will not include anything like a veggie burgers, but rather creative vegetarian dishes that emulate the beauty of the vegetables. The Chef de Cuisine at ABCV will be including products such as millet congee and truffles. Be sure to check out these new eateries as well as the diverse array of restaurants NYC has to offer.
able to come through.” The one family that Gabriel is referring to is a family from the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, who arrived in New York on January 31st. With the family receiving an overwhelming of support
photo courtesy: top to bottom: www.improvisedlife.com, www.charliepalmer.com, www. jeangeorges.com
Sarah Krause of Church World Serices helped the family at Stewart Airport. photo courtesy: www.nytimes.com
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Food Safety cont’d
photo courtesy: www.mckinseyandcompany.com
available. Information from sites like Yelp or Facebook can be collected to help predict and speed up foodborne illness investigations. A lot of foodborne illnesses go unreported. However a lot of customers complain or voice their displeasures on social media. It also can be used to combine data from food providers and public health agencies. In addition to helping identifying current outbreaks, big data can help predict outbreaks as well. Certain things like weather patterns increases the chances of an outbreak occurring. For instance, rain can increase water leaks in building that can drip down and contaminate food. Heat waves can increase the speed of food spoilage. Severe weather can even lead to power outages increasing the likelihood of a foodborne illness. By taking the wide amount of public information available, organizations can better respond to and defend their products from pathogens. However it is a relatively new approach to food safety. One of the challenges is that there are not a large amount of data processors that are also well versed in food distribution. A downfall
of big data is knowing the right constraint or rules to give the program to run the data. Early on in Big Data, Google created an algorithm that they claimed that they could predict the world flu season by search results. They failed by over 100%. The project did set the basis for how Big Data projects should run. Even though it wasn’t a success, is set the precedent for Big Data. Using Big Data to predict foodborne outbreaks faces the same problems as Google did. The scientist have to learn how to place the right rules on how data should be processed. It might take time to build the proper system to analyze the data to help improve upon the systems. While it will take a while to build up a complete system, Big Data has already helped to record outbreaks. Back in 2009 WGS was used for the first time in a Salmonella-related foodborne outbreak. It was the starting point to the creation of a better food safety process. With the increase of Big Data usage in food it allows for restaurants and other food service establishments to have higher quality and safer products.
already, those in the Capstone project believed they needed to shift the focus of the project towards a different way of helping the refugees. “We decided to switch our gears towards bringing awareness to the communities around us.” The Capstone team organized an event which people from all over the community were invited to attend. This month, they screened a documentary called “A Land Between”, and afterwards a local refugeeturned-activist from Syria, Sana Mustafa, appeared as a guest speaker. The Capstone team then hosted a reception with food and beverages from countries affected by the travel ban. In case refugees do make it through, the Capstone students are striving to obtain seeds from a seed bank in Aleppo. The acquisition of these seeds would enable host organizations to grow food that would be familiar to Syrian refugees, which promotes the central idea of using food to help
the refugees assimilate into their respective communities. Gabriel was extremely empathetic for the plight of the refugees, and he was intensely passionate about the impact that he knew this event would have on our community. “It’s to bring an awareness of what these human beings are going through and the struggles they are facing just to live a better life, a life that many Westerners take for granted.” Gabriel concluded, “we play a bigger picture in this world, and hopefully the future generations of students will keep (this progress) going so that it’s not just this one-semester thing, [but] that we’re constantly caring for others around us.” If Gabriel’s dream of awareness is realized in our community, it could only be beneficial; the refugees would sense our warm welcome, and become fully integrated into our country – making it all the more diverse, and therefore all the better.
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LA PAPILLOTE
Features
Large Companies Respond to Executive Order
BY: Khori Eubanks, AOS Culinary
Donald Trump’s Executive Order to limit immigration and travel from seven Muslim-majority countries to the United States has caused serious reaction within big corporations around the country. Currently there are the following restrictions: 90-day ban, no refugees for 4 months, and none from Syria indefinitely. The effects have ranged from mere statements to large protests. While many corporations have felt the need to speak up and defend the morals of their businesses, others have decided to stay quiet for
see it as chance to reaffirm corporate values within themselves but not nearly as vocal as others. As for corporations such as Coco-Cola, Chobani, and Starbucks, who felt stronger, there was no time to waste in making their opinions known. These brands and hundreds of others are denouncing Trump’s policy for multiple reasons. Some responses stem from being a liaison of their customers who disagree, relying on immigrant employees, personal conviction, and the commitment to diversity.
Trump signs Executive Order on January 27.
multiple reasons, some claiming to want to stay on President Trump’s “good side.” There are those that stand in the middle and
nies and through their employees. This ban is testing several companies as to whether they will continue to support that or stay quiet. One of the first corporations to respond to the ban was Chobani, a Greek yogurt company whose CEO, Hamdi Ulukaya, is from Turkey. He started Chobani in 2007, and the very next year began to employ refugees at his New York plant because he personally understands the struggle. His experience as an immigrant from Turkey gives him the ability to relate with the importance
photo courtesy: www.buzznigera.com
Over the last few years in America, many businesses have been advertising how they support and value diversity within the compa-
of finding a job and having an income immediately. Hamdi has been setting an example and would like American Corpora-
tions to step up to change what he calls a “grueling process” for refugee workers because it is ineffective. He is deeply concerned with the issue, which is why he promised to give away half of his 1.7-billion-dollar fortune in support of this cause. So far, he has donated two million dollars for immediate relief. Hamdi, having gone through many of the same problems as his immigrant employees, attempts to make this hard time a bit easier by having his legal and HR department explore each member in order to properly assisted them. Hamdi says “we’ll have their backs every day and every step of the way”. Many quickly followed Chobani’s bold lead and decided to support the refugees. Coca-Cola CEO, Muhtar Kent, released a statement that blatantly opposed the ban because it conflicted with their core values. Kent explains that Coca-Cola has operations in over 200 countries so they respect all backgrounds. Coca-Cola has risen to the situation and stands behind their employees. Companies such as Starbucks took a more drastic approach and were one of the first corporations to respond. CEO Howard Schultz was fast and specific about his hiring of immigrants. “There are more than 65 million citizens of the world recognized as refugees by the United Nations, and we are developing plans to hire 10,000 of them over five years in the 75 countries around the world where Starbucks does business,” Schultz said in a letter to employees. Starbucks took an extremely risky and eye-catching move, and have
definitely felt the consequences since then. Sales have plummeted drastically for the company because those who support Trump and his actions are boycotting the café chain. Many people also feel flustered by Starbucks because of the way they respond to politics in general. For example, many customers refused to return after some of the stores decided to put Donald Trump’s face on a floor mat for people to wipe their feet on. The customers see their actions as immature and impulsive. Starbucks, however, is not the only one getting slammed. An editorial from the website WND.com read that Chobani has a “nefarious plan” to drown the U.S in Muslims. They make the CEO seem as if he is an evil mastermind attempting to harm the country by “choking the U.S with Muslims” and those claimed to be unskilled, diseased and many other names for the Idaho refugee workers at Chobani’s newer plant. The companies that are currently involved cannot stress enough how much support they need from all the businesses and especially big corporations. There are rumors going around to pass legislature that will restrict visas like H-1B, that allows Americans to recruit high-skilled foreigners. In industries such as restaurants, hotels, and agriculture, these immigrants and refugees are highly employed and necessary for many establishments to run. If this were to happen, it may cause more of the groups to react, be involved, and stand up with groups like Chobani, Starbucks, and CocoCola.
Day without Immigrant Issue
BY: Joe Piccirillo, BPS Applied Food Studies
A dozen employees at the I Don’t Care Bar and Grill in Catoosa, Oklahoma lost their jobs when they skipped work to show solidarity for “A Day Without Immigrants.” The restaurant workers are all Hispanic and had said it was important to them to participate in the national protest. Unfortunately, they didn’t think it would cost them their jobs. The group was interviewed by KTUL News, based in Tulsa, OK, shortly after being fired. “They feel like they’ve been unfairly terminated,” one friend translated for the employees. “They’ve been working at the bar and grill since it opened almost two years ago. They’re upset they stood for something they felt was necessary so the community would stand together, and they got terminated for that,” the friend told KTUL. Making matters worse, restaurant owner, Bill McNally, fired these employees by a chain of unmannerly text messages. A
message to one of the employees reads: “You and your family are fired. I hope you enjoyed your day off, and you can enjoy many more. Love you.” Seemingly harsh, Bill McNally stands behind his decision. In a written statement to KTUL news, McNally claims he has a “zero tolerance policy for no call/no show incidents and the 12 employees violated that policy.” Shortly after jobs postings were up on the restaurant’s Facebook page looking for new employees, solidifying their decision. Fortunately for the former employees, the media has given them a lot of attention. Dusty Oakley, the owner of Brownie’s Hamburgers in Tulsa, OK, heard about employees of I Don’t Care Bar and Grill. Oakley, being sympathetic to their situation, has offered them all jobs in his restaurant. “They were in need obviously because they just got let go out of the blue,” said Oakley in an interview with
photo courtesy: www.independentsentinel.com
Fox news. “I am not into politics much, but I am not going to shame anybody for standing up for what they believe in,” Oakley said. Bill McNally, the owner of I Don’t Care, said he has a zero tolerance policy for no show, no call employees. Oakley continues, “I know they said that was their policy and that’s what they are sticking behind, but that is not my policy.” Brownie’s Hamburgers is a 60 year old business, with diverse group of employees from
different nationalities and walks of life. “They are a very integral part with what we do here, and I am very thankful for them and would hate to lose them. We look for the good in people, that want to work, willing to show up and are hard workers,” Oakley concludes. Since this incident, I Don’t Care Bar and Grill has been getting many mixed reviews on their decision. Some say McNally was correct in his actions.
12 employees did not show up to work without so much as phone call, violating company policy. The obvious counterargument, however, is that these people had every right to stand up and support their community. McNally is receiving criticism for his method of firing his prior employees through an impolite text message. Regardless of the difference of opinion, there seems this situation may have been avoided if it weren’t for a clear lack of proper communication on both sides.
March 3, 2017
Features
Coming to America: A Syrian Story
BY: Dan Salisbury, BPS Applied Food Studies
Dan Salisbury - In light of recent events happening throughout the nation and the world, I think it’s important to remember that we have all traveled many different paths in order to come to the CIA. Regardless of who you are or where you come from, food must always be cooked, service must always be excellent, and tables must be turned. In an ever-changing industry, nation, and world, it’s important to realize we’re all human. Devon Alsakkaf is an AOS Culinary Student in Culinary Fundamentals. He is a first generation Syrian-American, and this is his story. “I started cooking because of my dad. My father’s name was Saado Alaskkaf, and he was born in Damascus, Syria,
of late 70’s America. He didn’t speak much English, and began bussing tables in Philly, where he met his wife, an American-Irish woman. “He got into some trouble,” explained Devon, and Saado soon moved to Hawaii, where he wandered and slept on the beach for three months. He worked in a French restaurant where he learned the intricacies of higherend cuisine; after two years, he moved back to Philly where he opened up his first Italian bistro. Devon recounted proudly, “my father never made it past 6th grade, but managed to open up his own restaurants.” After Saado moved to Ocean City, NJ, Devon was born. “I grew up in Ocean City, NJ, and my dad would often close the restaurant during the winter season. We would travel to
high school and beyond. “I was deep in the middle of a busy service in when the manager of the restaurant where I was working at the time forced me to take a phone call. I hadn’t heard from my uncle in nine years, but he was the one to give me the news that my father was in the hospital. I left the restaurant and I didn’t go home; I drove nine straight hours to see him. When I got there, I was told that my father had Stage IV liver cancer.” The doctors didn’t give him much time, and two weeks later Devon’s father passed away. “What I realized,” Devon recounts, “was the importance of what he and I had earlier interpreted as this sort of close-mindedness in was, in fact, a close-knit community. The entire extended
Devon has strong memories of eating large meals with his immediate and extended family, complete with lots of tea, good conversation, and food. “There would be twelve people each at two tables,” says Devon, “and there would always be a big spread - cheese, olives, makdous [stuffed and pickled eggplant], kibbeh, and lots of Syrian bread. There were no plates, so we would eat with our hands.” This idea of commensality plays a huge influence for Devon, and is something he looks to continue to express to others. However, it hasn’t been easy for Devon. He me ntioned that he faced discrimination after 9/11, when he moved to Ohio where he would go on to graduate high school. Devon expressed,
Devon Alsakkaf, currently a Culinary Fundamentals student, was inspired to enter the culinary field by his father Saado (center/right).
on January 23, 1956. The name means ‘shoemaker’, and shoemaking in the family goes back many generations.” Saado was raised in a strict family with thirteen siblings who adhered to strict Muslim beliefs; it wasn’t too rare for him to witness public executions in the town square. At eighteen, he was drafted into the army. He spent six years in the army as part of the Special Forces, and left when he was 24. Devon continued, “A relative of his paid for him to travel throughout Europe, and this was when he first started to get into food.” In Syrian culture, there is emphasis placed on preserving the culture; this is stressed through marriage. Devon explained, “My father separated himself from Syrian culture. I think he (and I) found the closemindedness of the religion to be a little too much.” When he was 28, Saado immigrated to Philadelphia, a brand-new immigrant thrust into the indefinable culture
the west coast, often going to Las Vegas.” Devon’s father divorced fron his mother when he was eight years old, and moved out to Las Vegas. “He had a drug and gambling problem,” says Devon, “and he became distant. My dad was always mysterious to me growing up.” Saado eventually landed a job as a long-haul truck driver, and would periodically check in with his family with his whereabouts. Devon summarized, “he had managed to build something from nothing, but he managed to lose it all.” Devon explained, “I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps, and so I started to work in the industry.” He started washing dishes at a local restaurant, and began to fall in love with being in a kitchen. Carrying on his father’s legacy is something that Devon stressed is important to him, and this became more important as he worked his way up in various kitchens throughout
family came out to the hospital, and I kissed male relatives - three times on each cheek - that I hadn’t seen for years.” There was a bit of a learning curve for Devon in adhering to traditional Muslim burial customs. In the Muslim faith, the family members wash the body of the deceased the next day, and the body is returned to the Earth as soon as possible. Devon added, “It was very difficult to wash the body of my estranged father with relatives that I hadn’t seen for years.” Over five hundred people came out to the funeral. “I didn’t know any of the Arabic prayers, but I was comforted by the presence of strangers that had known my father.” Saado was known for making it a priority to hire foreign exchange students to work in his kitchen and Devon recounted, “People from all over the world were there at the funeral, and that’s when I knew that I wanted to be like my father and make an impact through food.”
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traditional Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. She was originally supposed to stay there for five days, but she has been stuck there ever since due to Trump’s ban.* Devon continued, “I have dual citizenship in the U.S. and in Syria. If I were to go to Syria, I would be forced to join the army and fight with Bashar Al-Assad for the mandatory four years of service.” Bashar Al-Aassad is the president of Syria, and has used military force to shut down dissent within the country. On top of this, various militant groups, including Boko Haram, ISIL, and Al-Qaeda, have been fighting for territory. This pits the rebel “Freedom Fighters”, the Free Syrian Army, against multiple groups. Devon continued, “it makes no sense to me that
photo courtesy: Devon Alsakkaf, Dan Salisbury
“what I found there was a sort of reverse culture shock.” Devon was now surrounded by an allwhite class. Although he looked like those in his town, he was different. There was a similarity in the perceived close-mindedness that he felt he had experienced with his Syrian relatives, but this time it was with rural Americans. “My cousin actually changed his named from Mohammed to Sam; he was beaten and had bricks thrown through his windows a few times. I began to feel ashamed of who I was because I am not religious, I am not fluent in Arabic, and I was somewhat estranged from my family, I would sometimes start to believe the things that people were saying about Muslims.” Devon expresses his concern about the wave of rightwing populism sweeping the nation, as Trump’s administration has immediately affected his family. He told me about the story of his cousin, who recently made the
there are people my age that, just because of where they are, their world is crumbling around them. I have cousins over there now. This war is a gross violation of human rights, and people in Syria live in constant fear.” Although there is a lot going on within the nation and throughout the world, Devon stresses the importance of getting to know someone before passing judgment. “I’m Devon. Get to know me. Talk to me. I’m Syrian, and I’m proud of it.” *At the time of this writing, Devon’s cousin was making progress in returning home due to the temporary stay ordered by the federal courts, and may come home shortly.
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March 3, 2017
Entertainment
St. Patrick’s Day
Last Block’s Puzzle Solution
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Graduation
AOS Graduating Class of March 3, 2017 Culinary Arts Group #1 Front Row: Dillon Stahr, Richard Patti, Grant Ruble, Natalina Musacchio, Aituro C. Rojas, Alyssa Solimena Back Row: Abel J. Miranda Diaz, Conor Totteham, Paul Boston, Rob Ciagett, Ricky Silco, Byung Hyun Jeong
Culinary Arts Group #2 Front Row: Andreew Yerger, JAmes Plaskon, Nicholas Sullins, Olivia Fisse, Nicholas Chaskin, Arturo Lopez Back Row: Nicholas Say, Steven Lyon, Esteban Garez, Colin Boyler, Nelson Mortinez, Christion Ventula, John Feeney, William Ernst-Wingfield
Culinary Arts Group #3 Front Row: Brent Goodbreake, Jisun Ham, Michaela Duke, Logan Gates, Jaehyun Kim, Christian Perez, Bryan Fisherkeller Back Row: Leslie Sroka, Maya Notrika, Jospeh Deleon Guerrero, Maverick Robinson, Ian Icing, Bradford Costa, Emma Sisarky
Baking & Pastry Front Row: Paitence Deochand, Kristen McGrane, Beatrice Stormes, Jordan Groves, Lacey Fierro, Emily Dill Back Row: Amanda Beaudrie, Tamara Solis, Abby Wilcox, Bernadette Kozlawski, Alexis Maya, Mina Kwim, Alexis Martinez, Alex Yeatts
March 3, 2017
Graduation
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AOS Graduation Speaker: Nicholas Elmi ’02 Chef/Owner Restaurant Laurel and ITV
BY: Shelly Loveland, Staff Contributor
photo couresy of Leslie Jennings
Library Learning Conrad N. Hilton Commons: Library Monday-Thursday: 7:00am- Monday-Thursday: 8:00am11:00pm 11:00pm Friday: 8:00am-7:00pm Friday: 7:00am-7:00pm Saturday: 10:00am-5:00pm Saturday: 10:00am-5:00pm Sunday: Noon-9:00pm Sunday: Noon-11:00pm Campus Store Video Center Hours: Monday-Thursday: 8:30am- Monday: 10:00am-4:00pm Tuesday-Friday: 10:00am10:00pm 6:00pm Friday: 8:30am-5:00pm Saturday: 11:00am-6:00pm Saturday: Noon-5:00pm Sunday: Noon-8:00pm
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Nicholas Elmi is the chef/owner of Restaurant Laurel and ITV (In the Valley) Wine and Cocktail Bar in Philadelphia, PA. Chef Elmi and the staff of Laurel focus on French-inspired American cuisine with a nod to regional tradition and contemporary flavors. A 22-seat gem that delights critics and neighbors alike, Laurel is located on a small street in South Philly known as East Passyunk Avenue, named one of the “Ten Best Foodie Streets in America” by Food & Wine. ITV, located right next door, reflects Restaurant Laurel’s intimate vibe. Chef Elmi’s latest concept is Baba Bar, a Mediterranean bar and grill that will be located in Terminal B in Philadelphia International Airport. Since opening in November 2013, Laurel has garnered national attention in a short amount of time. It has consistently been named near or at the top of Philadelphia magazine’s 50 Best Restaurants and also earned a spot on GQ’s 25 Most Outstanding Restaurants of 2015. Laurel was also awarded four bells (the highest rating possible) from
award-winning critic Craig Laban of The Philadelphia Inquirer, as well as three and a half stars from Trey Popp of Philadelphia. The James Beard Foundation named Laurel a semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant in 2014 and Chef Elmi a semi-finalist for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2017 and 2015. A native of West Newbury, MA, Nicholas Elmi is a 2002 graduate of The Culinary Institute of America. Before opening Laurel, he worked in some of the top restaurants on the East Coast and the world, including Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia, Union Pacific and Oceana in New York City, and Guy Savoy in Paris, France. In 2013, Chef Elmi won season 11 of Bravo’s Top Chef, beating out 18 competitors for the top spot. Active in the industry and community, Chef Elmi has served as a guest chef at the James Beard House, was a guest instructor at DeGustibus at Macy’s in New York City, and participated in the Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival in 2015 and the New York City Wine & Food Festival
Hours of Operation Mailroom Monday-Friday: 8:00am5:00pm Saturday: 9:00am-1:00pm (closed holiday weekends) Copy Center Monday-Friday: 8:00am5:30pm Apple Pie Monday-Friday: 7:30am-5:00pm (when classes are in session)
The Egg Monday-Thursday: 11:00am-11:00pm Friday: 11:00am-10:30pm Saturday: 9:00am-10:30pm Sunday: 9:00am-11:00pm
Student Recreation Center Monday-Thursday: 7:00amMidnight Friday: 7:00am-10:00pm Saturday: 9:00am-10:00pm Sunday: 9:00am-11:00pm
2600 South Road (Route 9) 845.454.3505 Poughkeepsie Plaza (Near Marshall’s)
in 2016. He also appeared with Chef Carla Hall in a webisode for students by Scholastic called “Math@Work: Math Meets Culinary Arts,” designed to connect classroom learning to careers. Chef Elmi is a supporter of many worthy organizations, including the March of Dimes, The Parkinson Council, and the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS).
Pool Hours Monday-Thursday: 10:00am-1:00pm & 3:00pm-10:00pm Friday: 10:00am-1:00pm & 3:00pm-7:00pm Saturday & Sunday: Noon-7:00pm Resident Life Monday-Friday: 7:00am-5:00pm
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Campus
West Coast Living at Greystone
BY: Mike Feist, BBA Food Business Management
CIA at Copia (top), CIA’s Greystone Campus
photo courtesy: Mike Feist
Some people get lucky. If you can find a way to live somewhere unique for a year or two, do it. I decided to spend my two AOS years out at Greystone, in California’s Napa Valley. The Greystone Campus is in northern California, about 60 miles from San Francisco. There are enormous mountains, deserts, volcanoes, hot springs, vast tundras and awesome beaches all over the state. In California, being outdoors is perfect almost anytime and anywhere: most areas never drop below forty degrees, it never gets humid, mosquitos are very rare, and it hardly ever rains. Most days year-round are sunny and stay around 70 degrees. I found opportunities to go backpacking, canoeing, whitewater rafting, snow caving, skiing, and I could camp out under a single tarp most nights without a problem. The town of St. Helena (officially a city, though a tiny one) hosts two other small college campuses. It has a small permanent population and relies almost entirely on tourism. You can find excellent high-end restaurants, boutiques, and gourmet shops like Woodhouse Chocolates. Their boxed chocolates have been rated the best in the US, according to Consumer Reports. St. Helena is also a town away from the French Laundry and near famous wineries like Robert Mondavi’s, Peter Mondavi’s Charles Krug, Stag’s Leap, Francis Ford Coppola’s, and Opus One. The area draws millions of tourists from far away for their Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Zinfandel. So if you love food, wine, or desserts, you’ll be in heaven, but there are fewer attractions that concern art, history, or science. It’s not like New York where you can find three museums on the same block. People in the Napa Valley are looking more to relax, enjoy the outdoors, and have a good time. In St. Helena, it’s hard to find cheap food, and it’s hard to find recreational things to do without spending a lot of money, so my friends and I had little to do there. San Francisco and Sacramento are very far away from the California campus, and they surprisingly don’t offer as much as I initially thought. However, find a way to visit San Jose, Palo Alto, and Berkeley; there’s so much more there, and you’d definitely not regret going up to Portland and Seattle either. Public transportation can be tricky. It’s not nearly as convenient as MetroNorth or the New York City subway, but it is much easier than the public transit in Dutchess.
Greystone’s campus footprint is quite small. It’s mostly all within one building, which is about ¾ the size of Roth Hall by square footage. Greystone is unique because on the top floor there’s a hot side and a cold side, separated by the only cafeteria. There is only one bakeshop (the cold side) and one main kitchen for culinary arts. There’s another kitchen on the first floor for use by one or two classes at a time, but the main kitchen gets the bulk of the school’s use, and up four to five classes or groups can use that space at once. The space was designed fully open – no walls between the three sections – so you can see from the end of the bakeshop to the end of the kitchen. Glass walls continue behind the kitchen allow you to see twothirds of the building’s top floor from any spot. Another difference between the Greystone and Hyde Park campuses is the carts and requisitions. At Greystone we had to go to a corner of the building every day, check over every item to see if Purchasing had preassembled our cart, or help build our own if they were behind. We’d have to wheel it across back passages through the entire building, unless the elevator didn’t work (which was often). In that case we’d have to wheel all the food across the entrance hall of the building. There was never a specific place designated for carts and speed racks, you sometimes had to search the entire building to find one. Dealing with these problems every day helped us learn to adapt quickly to future situations. Greystone only has one restaurant for AOS students. Greystone students’ schedules are even more fixed than Hyde Park students’ schedules. Greystone’s restaurant is called the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant, a mouthful when trying to greet guests over the phone or at the door. Yet the front- and backof-house instructors were probably the most helpful and nicest of all that I had. The food we served was delicious, and I was just as proud to cook it as I was to serve it. Our wines were fantastic, as were the cocktails. The whole system was the cleanest and one of the best-organized restaurants I’ve worked in, even though we started out with little front-of-house experience. By the end, we were all part of a fantastic restaurant we were proud of. I was sad when I found out that with Greystone’s new satellite campus, the restaurant is being removed. AOS students will now use the restaurant formerly run by
the BPS Farm to Table semesteraway students, now called the Gatehouse Restaurant. As I was leaving Greystone last spring, the CIA had bought and was renovating Copia, formerly a huge nonprofit museum entirely dedicated to food, wine, and all forms of culinary arts. I so wish I was around to see this enormous facility in its prime – complete with art, history, science exhibits, massive theaters, demo kitchens, a rare book library, wine tasting rooms, a cafe and restaurant. As a lover of food, wine, and culture, I would’ve spent all my time there. I managed to visit the empty space a few times, at first without even knowing it! Like most Greystone students, I thought “what’s Copia?”, when I first heard of the school’s purchase. I had been to the nearby food hall and farmers’ market, literally feet away from the building, and didn’t even know about Copia. A while later, I familiarized myself with the whole building, including its gardens and shaded paths, the reflecting ponds, and beautifully modern architecture. I’m looking forward to going back now that its long-empty halls are finally full. As I was beginning my AOS, I realized Greystone is a bit more like an institution, not a university. So if you’re an older or a more mature student, it may be a good choice. You might even prefer it – come in, take serious classes, and leave. Clubs are few in number and disorganized, given Greystone’s lack of a four-year program. School trips and events are less common with a smaller student body, and there’s no oncampus gym, pool, or club rooms. The library is half the size of the gift shop here and permanently shares its space with the learning strategies center. And because the campus’ only cafeteria requires business casual or chef whites and doesn’t include comfortable chairs or places for laptops, it lacks a university dining hall’s convenience and charm. There’s still a community feel to the campus because of its small size. My classmates and I felt Greystone was like a family. I hope that the above ideas will help you and inspire you, whether you’re considering vacationing in the Napa Valley or spending a semester at our Napa Valley campus. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did!