20 Questions with California Culinary Academy Alum & Culinary Columnist Meloni Courtway

Of course every chef wants fame and fortune of the Puck or Emeril variety, but very few chefs start at the top of the food chain. This month's feature focuses on the real life culinary career of Meloni Courtway, a graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and a chef/food guru currently based in Port Huron, Michigan. Meloni's career is a fine example of what an ambitious culinary professional can do both in and out of the kitchen. Thank you Meloni for taking the time to chat with us!

1. What are you up to these days?

I am currently a food columnist for the Times Herald in Port Huron, Michigan. The Times Herald gave me a great opportunity to explore the world of food in a new region. I am originally from San Francisco and my husband's job took us here, just North of Detroit. It is a huge leap culturally and in culinary delights. I really appreciate being able to use the paper as my arm into the local culture.

2. What are the best aspects of working in the culinary industry?

The Food! I may not know everything there is to know about cooking, that takes time, experience and practice, but I sure love trying every kind of food.

3. Flip side... what are the worst aspects?

Finding people who don�t understand your love of food, or worse, people who have never heard of an avocado.

4. Why did you choose California Culinary Academy? How would you describe the training you received at CCA?

I chose the CCA because I lived in the area. I have to admit that I did not research a lot of other schools at the time. I was 18 years old and obsessed with Martha Stewart. I loved that she had created this whole world of home-made good things. My parents encouraged me to go to the CCA and check it out. I opted for the Baking and Pastry Certificate Program when I enrolled. I feel that my training in the baking and pastry arts was very informative and hands on. We prepared desserts for the two operating restaurants that were there.

5. What did you do before you got into the culinary profession?

I had begun an internship in politics and was very unhappy in D.C. I returned home and began baking for therapy. My family had to channel that energy somehow.

6. What are the most underrated things they teach you in chef school?

Getting yourself prepared for a career in the culinary world, especially the baking and pastry world. It is very specific and if your think becoming a famous chef is easy you are wrong. Anyone can graduate from culinary school, not everyone is a top-rated chef. I wished I had taken that to heart even more while I was there and invested more time in each project and lesson.

7. What are the most overrated things they teach you in chef school?

That the big hotels are the only place you should work.

8. What are the most common misconceptions about working in the culinary profession?

That it is always fun and easy. You are in the business of serving people and often your service is needed on a very big day for them. People are not always happy with you, and you have to keep trying harder to make them happy.

9. In your opinion, what's the best current culinary trend?

Healthy options in all eating establishments.

10. What's the worst current culinary trend?

Restaurants indulging the Atkins diet.

11. What are the most overrated/underrated styles of cooking (French, Italian, Thai, etc..)?

Italian cooking is wonderful, but too many people in the U.S. feel they are professional Italian cooks. It all tastes like pizza these days.

12. What are the best cities for a young culinary professional?

New York or San Francisco.

13. What advice do you have for someone looking for a career in the culinary arts?

Be very sure you are ready to dedicate the next several years of your life to late hours and not many days off. It takes a lot of work to get anywhere in the culinary arts.

14. What's the most difficult but necessary skill to acquire before you embark on a culinary arts career?

Confidence!

15. Describe your dream restaurant.

My absolute dream would be to own a working farm with a very high-end restaurant that used mostly house grown products.

16. Fill in the blank... chefs make _________. (And no, you can't say "food")

Chefs make good lovers!

17. What did you do, if anything, to make contacts in the culinary industry?

Now that I am a food columnist, I fling my culinary training around like its nobodies business. Before, while I was working behind the scenes in bakeries and the like, I thought it was very important to keep your training to yourself. Chefs want someone they can mold.

18. In your opinion, how competitive is the job market for chefs?

Very; it is very hot to be a chef, or anyone in the food world.

19. If you knew then (when you decided to become a chef) what you know now, what would you do differently?

I would have put my training into practice right after school. I took a short break, and that turned into a long break.

20. What are your favorite culinary TV shows?

I really like Bobby Flay and I also have this weird like for Nigela's Bites on the Style network.

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