Student Careers

(Dates refers to the year of first enrolment in the Graduate Program in Gastronomy)

Øyvind Andersen (2002)
Øyvind is possibly the best qualified chef in Norway. In addition to his Master of Arts in Gastronomy degree, he has a Bachelor of Management from the BI Norwegian School of Management (Trondheim and Oslo), and a Chef diploma (Diplomkokk) and sommelier certificate (Vinkelner) from the Gastronomisk Institutt (the Culinary Institute of Norway). He is now in his final stages of completing his graduate certificate in teaching at the University of Trondheim NTNU. Presently he is working as a cook at the production kitchen of the Trondheim Community, learning the craft of large scale cooking preparing 2200 meals a day. He is hoping to complete a diploma in institutional cooking for elderly, hospital and special needs. His long term goal is to teach culinary arts. "I find it very rewarding to work with youth and I get to use all my gastronomic experience, from craftsmanship to academic." In 2006 he became a father again, with the arrival of child number four.

Rachel A. Ankeny (2004)
Following completion of her master's thesis, Rachel joined the academic staff of the Graduate Program in Gastronomy at Adelaide as senior lecturer, where she is teaching and pursuing her research interests in food ethics, science and food, and Italian diaspora foodways, among other topics. For more on Rachel's activities, go to http://www.gastronomy.adelaide.edu.au/staff/

Yazan Akeel (2003)
Yazan has established a company, l'Hotelier, to manufacture and sell worldwide a comprehensive range of top-quality chefs' uniforms. For details go to www.lhotelier.com

Janet Boileau (2005)
Afer graduating in 2007 I have enrolled as a PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide and am now working on a thesis, 'Towards a Culinary History of the Portuguese in Asia', an extension of my MA dissertation on Portuguese colonial cuisine. I still have an active role at Leite's Culinaria, the James Beard Award-wiining website created by David leite (www.leitesculinaria.com). I write for the website and am a researcher and recipe tester for David's forthcoming book on Portuguese cuisine. In between graduation and commencing the PhD, I went on a research trip to Lisbon, Madeira and the Azores and then went to Macau, China, as a delegate to a conference on Macanese gastronomy. I produced an event in Seattle called 'Talking with Your Mouth Full', an evening of readings by the area's top food writers, followed by 'Eating Our Words', a dinner themed on the readings created by Tom Douglas, one of America's leading chefs. (janet@leitesculinaria.com)

Gabi Brie (2003)
My dissertation on farmers' markets on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales found that the markets provided farmers with great opportunities with advertising, market research, positive social experiences and the knowledge of being appreciated as producers of high quality foods. Despite all their positive benefits, however, farmers' markets are not necessarily the answer for all the difficulties that beset small farmers.
I have recently become involved helping local authors edit their works for publication and have embarked on a Postgraduate Certificate in Editing at Macquarie University. (gabikevn@midcoast.com.au)

Dereke Bruce (2003)
I am now working as assistant food director (full time) of North Shore Hospital (Auckland, NZ) and writing a 1750 hour lesson plan (part-time) for the opening of a new cooking school in Auckland. I am here getting some English language into my children and plan to move back to Taiwan in two years to open my own culinary institute with City & Guilds accreditation.

Tania Cammarano (2004)
A strong interest in food as a part of culture and a background in journalism, food and web production led me to the MA in Gastronomy at the University of Adelaide. Since graduating, I have become the editor of Taste.com.au, Australia's number one recipe and food website. My dissertation examining the history of espresso coffee in Sydney will soon be published as a book.

Bel Castro (2002)
Bel was awarded first prize for her paper presented at the Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Symposium 2005: Vanishing Food in the Philippines. Her paper was a revised and expanded of the one she presented at the Symposium of Australian Gastronomy in 2005. In 2006 Bel was also assigned by the Manila Bulletin, a national broadsheet, to report on the World Gourmet Summit in Singapore.

Susan Cleary (2002)
Susan Cleary was awarded a Dairy Australia/Melbourne Research Scholarship to study the links between landscape, locality, farming and food at the University of Melbourne and is now nearing completion of her PhD.

Kirsten Dixon (2002)
Kirsten is an adjunct professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage's Culinary Arts program teaching courses in international cuisine. She has recently completed a Master's in Fine Arts - Creative Writing program at Goddard College, Vermont. Kirsten's book, The Winterlake Lodge Cookbook, won in the "Best Female Chef USA" category at the Gourmand International Cookbook Awards in 2005. She is working on her third cookbook. Kirsten owns and operates two wilderness lodges in Alaska. Her culinary website is www.kirstendixon.com

Kelly Donati (2002)
Completing the gastronomy program led to many opportunities in my research career. After finishing the program in 2004, I publishing some of my research in Food, Culture and Society. This article was a critical analysis of Slow Food's philosophy of pleasure and its implications when engaging the food producers and cultures of the Global South. At the same time, I began volunteering at the Australian Conservation Foundation where I provided research assistance to examine the cultural and ecological impacts of the oil palm industry on local communities. This, combined with my background in gastronomy, opened up opportunities for me as a researcher the Globalism Institute RMIT. Here I contributed to the coordination of the Food and Thought Mela, a community conference about food held in Hamilton, Victoria in February 2006, and I also worked on a research project about community sustainability in PNG, with a particular emphasis on the impact of large-scale development on food and agricultural traditions. I also assisted on a research project about anti-consumer movements in the West at RMIT.

More recently, I was commissioned to produce a research report about the benefits of community gardens to local communities and obstacles to their establishment, based on four case studies in Melbourne. In May 2007, I commenced my PhD on urban agriculture at the Faculty of Land and Food Resources where I was awarded a Melbourne Research Scholarship. In addition to my research, I am the President of Slow Food Victoria which allows me to be involved at a practical level in events such as A Taste of Slow that educate consumers about food and agriculture while also celebrating the pleasures of the table. (kdonati@internode.on.net)

Nikki Eleazar (2003)
I am back in Manila, Philippines, working in the family restaurant business Max's as Quality Assurance Manager. In 2006, I was able to complete an online course on Food Science and Technology with the Culinary Institute of America. This course has stimulated an interest in molecular gastronomy.

While I will always be forever associated with the family business, I have discovered that teaching gives me a different kind of fulfilment and joy. I am currently a lecturer at the American Hospitality Academy, Philippines, teaching Food Safety and Sanitation, Product Identification and Philippine Gastronomy. We are the first school to offer Philippine gastronomy and developing this course has led me to a greater appreciation and understanding of Philippine food and culture. For more on my teaching, go to http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view_article.php?article_id=108432. (chefgirlph@yahoo.com)

Jane Gimpel (2003)
Jane is teaching at Immaculata University in Pennsylvania (for one term) and developing a culinary arts course for adults for a technical/vocational school, while still writing a food column for a weekly newspaper, The Bucks County Herald. (janegimpel@msn.com)

Amina Harris (2004)
I married an Aussie and am now Amina Elderfield. We are looking at moving to Melbourne and building a boutique cooking school that features Southern American foods. (aminac@verizon.net)

Diana Holguin (2004)
I returned to live in Bogota, Colombia at the end of 2007. I had not lived here in 13 years so I am very glad to be back and enjoying all the aspects of south american life. I have recently begun a new job at Industrial Taylor as Product Manager of Front of House products (flatware, dinnerware, glassware, etc.). As part of my job I will have the pleasure of getting to know the Colombian restaurant industry in depth, which is very exciting right now because there is a real boom in interest in food, wine and gastronomy in general.

On the side I am also hoping to start writing about Colombian food issues and the global food crisis and its implications on regional cuisines. (dmh89@hotmail.com)

Carolyn Jones (2003)
Undertaking the MA in Gastronomy led to an involvement in academic writing. Since 2005 I have contributed as a subject expert and writer, to the development of several new degrees for various Australian and international providers in the areas of Culinary Arts and Culinary Management.

At the start of 2007 I joined the academic staff of Le Cordon Bleu, Adelaide, as a lecturer in Cuisine and Professional Gastronomic Practice. During Tasting Australia 2007 I had the opportunity to work with LCB International Executive Chef Patrick Martin, preparing a seven course degustation dinner held at Regattas in the Adelaide Convention Centre. Guests at the dinner included M. Cointreau and members of La Chaîne de Rôtisseurs.

In 2007 I presented a paper at the "Right from the Start" Early Childhood Conference (a joint initiative of the Department of Education and Children's Services, Barossa District; Gawler and Barossa Health; and Tafe SA, Gawler). Based on the research from my dissertation, this paper "Who's looking after the children?: Food for thought in childcare" highlights the role that such institutions play in regard to the food choices and eating behaviours to which pre-school aged children are exposed.

I am currently undertaking postgraduate study in Health Promotion, with a view to embarking on a PhD which explores the links between food education and health. (carojones@bigpond.com)

Janet Lymburn (2003)
My gastronomy study led to a major shift in my career from the kitchen to a more active role in the wider food industry. Until 2007 I worked for Food South Australia as a Food Industry Development Officer in the Barossa Valley. In an area where regional food and wine tourism is an important part of the economy and the heritage of the Barossa is inextricably linked to the food of the region, my work frequently draws on the knowledge I gained during my study.

I have also continued to follow my interest in researching and writing about food, and my article on Culinary Terroir was published in Slow magazine (Issue 52, 2005). This article argues the case for culinary terroir, a concept that captures the spirit, romance and language of food and drink while recognising the role heritage, culture and innovation play in our culinary lives. I am also working on a paper with Lyn Leader-Elliot (Flinders University) that examines the role of everyday food and drink in the tourism environment.

Robb Mason (2002)
Robb Mason has been awarded a Sustainable Tourism CRC Fellowship to continue his research on food and wine trails at Victoria University and is now in the third year of his PhD. In 2007 Robb taught the Gastronomic Tourism elective in the Graduate Program of Gastronomy.

Michael Meagher (2004)
I graduated from Harvard University with a BA in sociology cum laude, but decided that a gastronomic pursuit, rather than law school, was the path I was to follow. After working in some of Boston's best restaurants, following training at the Culinary Institute of America, I discovered the perfect program to combine my passions for academia and food: a Masters degree in Gastronomy. My dissertation focused on the struggles of screwcapped wines in the United States and how they might be able to gain a stronger foothold in the marketplace.

I recently became a Certified Sommelier through the American Chapter of the Court of Master Sommeliers, and I am currently working up the ladder in the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, which is based in London, taking the Diploma course. I am working as a sommelier in two top restaurants in Boston, Sel de la Terre and L'Espalier and I am a Beverage Manager in both establishments as well (both are operating under the same parent company). We are opening another restaurant in September as well as a fourth restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel which is scheduled for completion in July-August 2008. Also, I will be serving as a consultant to Harvard University's on-campus, student-run restaurant/pub, serving as a wine and service educator starting in the coming months. (michael.meagher@gmail.com)

Roberta Muir (2002)
Roberta continues to manage Sydney Seafood School, which, since she completed her Masters degree, has expanded to include FISHline, Sydney Fish Market's seafood consumer advice service, including newsletter, recipes and online species information (for information go to www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au). She writes monthly food and beverage news for Jetstar Inflight Magazine, as well as being published in Australian Gourmet Traveller, travel + leisure and, she says, "anyone else who'll have her". Roberta was writer's assistant to Sydney Chef Janni Kyritsis on his cookbook Wild Weed Pie - a Lifetime of Recipes (Penguin, 2003). She also reviews restaurants for the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide and Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide and has become involved in both cheese and olive oil judging. In her 'spare' time she still reads all things culinary that come her way.
For samples of Roberta's work see www.food-wine-travel.com.

Wanjiru Mwangi (2004)
I left Adelaide in 2004 to finalise my Dissertation in Kenya, my home country. Kenya is historically an oral culture, and my physical presence there was necessary to the research. Prior to this, I received a Diploma and BBA from Switzerland, based in Hospitality and Catering management.

After the culmination of my dissertation, I opened up a business named "Cheesecake Heaven" in Nairobi (cheesecakeheaven@gmail.com). It deals with baking and pastry, and is doing well as the orders are custom-made and fresh to the hour. In line with this I am currently in the process of renovating a new premise for the Children's and Adults Culinary classes that I run and will begin teaching classes in January, called "Petits Chefs Kenya".

I also write and cook for the first cookery magazine in Kenya, which was launched in December of last year. I love doing this job with the "Tupike" magazine, which means "Let Us Cook" in the national language of Kiswahili. The fact that I am the only writer for it makes it more interesting and challenging, as I write about everything from different varieties of the same ingredient and their nutritional content (e.g. rice or flour), baby weaning foods and ideas, and even the history of certain well-known foods such as the Black-forest and Fruit cakes, or even the origin of our most famous Kenyan dishes.
The Gastronomy program prepared me in a major way for this, and in addition to that the content of the course opened up my horizons and way of thinking in a manner that is now always positively influencing all that I do today in my field. The fact that the magazine is written for those who are either learning to cook, or want to improve on their basic skills, is an additional advantage. (cheesecakeheaven@gmail.com)

Jacqui Newling (2005)
My dissertation was on food in the first (European) settlement of New South Wales. I now work for the Historic Houses Trust NSW, at Vaucluse House and Elizabeth Bay House, both of which represent Australia's heritage from pre- and early Victorian eras. I am currently researching the Vaucluse House Kitchen Wing (built 1828) and associated culinary practices for museum interpretation, training and education purposes. I hope to extend this research over more of the HHT properties and further develop food-based public programs within the Trust. I still hold regular Spice Appreciation classes for Herbie's Spices in Rozelle, Sydney. I have also enjoyed the opportunity to give a guest lecture on spices for anthropology students at Macquarie University, as part of their Food and Culture course. (janewling@yahoo.com)

Hiroko Obata (2004)
The research for my dissertation gave me a great opportunity to investigate the relationship between food and people in my own country, Japan. Now my focus has became much more narrow and I am grappling with the threat to the urban farming (an area near Tokyo) by organising a small public group, and trying to protect the farmlands in an urban area by encouraging people to eat more local products.

Alex Peters (2004)
For Alex, the Gastronomy Program offered an opportunity to act upon a lifelong interest in food which extended way beyond just cooking and eating. It also represented a major shift in career direction. Since completing her dissertation exploring the meaning of 'regional food' in Australia, Alex has worked as a researcher and writer for a website/television food history project, drawing on her former career as a journalist and TV producer. She's also worked as a presenter for the Food Media Club's "Food Explorer" program conducted in NSW primary schools, and, for the past two years, has been a judge for the Regional Food Competition in the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show. Alex is now establishing a new business, Alimentary, specialising in gastronomic research & writing. She's targeting this service at a range of organisations which have an interest in food or are involved in food-related projects, including local councils, government departments, cultural and educational bodies, publishers and media. (alexas@bigpond.net.au , 0421 738 241)

Madeleine Pineda (2005)
Receiving the IACP scholarship toward my Master of Arts in Gastronomy came at the perfect time in this food & travel writer's life. After writing countless magazine articles and my book, "Do's & Don't's in the Philippines," studying Gastronomy broadened my knowledge to a more global outlook. Living, studying, and working in Adelaide provided a rich and enjoyable immersion into Australian foodways. The experience of working alongside top chefs and food experts in Central Market, visiting wineries, and sampling a diverse range of restaurants was priceless. My interests have expanded beyond the Philippine food and culture to include food relating to migration and religion. I moved to Singapore in 2007 and am working as a freelance food writer and discussing a book project with an interested publisher. (maidapineda@yahoo.com)

Amy Reiley (2003)
Amy was a finalist in the International Wine Women Awards award in 2005. In 2006, she published her first book, Fork Me, Spoon Me: the sensual cookbook. Her second book, Chile Aphrodisia, was co-authored by current Gastronomy student Annette Tomei. Amy continues to write on food and wine for several American publications and websites. Her own website, www.EatSomethingSexy.com, features aphrodisiac foods and drinks. She also speaks on food and wine to groups across the United States. Most recently, Amy has been asked to partner on a research project to asses the psychological impact on the success or failure of foods used as aphrodisiacs. (amy@lifeofreiley.com)

Allison Reynolds (2005)
After a year as Gastronomer in Residence at Carrick Hill (Adelaide), I am now officially Gastronomer in Residence at the Queen Adelaide Club. The Club celebrates its centenary in 2009 so there are lots of events being planned, all of which require advice on food and wine. I am also compiling a members' cookbook. I am still involved with Carrick Hill on a voluntary basis and on the Friends of Carrick Hill committee, which has also started researching a cookbook. (cookingschool@netscape.net)

Kay Richardson (2002)
Kay now hosts the Young Gourmet National Gastronomy Competition (www.younggourmet.com) for Australian school students and has established a registered charity called The Children's Food Education Foundation (www.childrensfoodeducation.org.au). This promotes an understanding of food, health, nutrition and healthy food choices by children and young people, especially those with chronic illness, disabilities, mental disorders and those who provide care for themselves or others. She is a member of the Food Media Club of Australia and assisted in developing their 'Food Explorer' school program and was a judge for the World Food Media Awards in 2005. She has had articles published in Gastronomica and Australian Good Taste and has organised children's food events for Tasting Australia and the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.

Jeremy Ryland (2003)
I am still working with Collins Foods. Last year we bought out our parent company in a reverse takeover, so we now run Sizzler worldwide from Brisbane. We have just opened out seventh restaurant in Beijing and are expanding throughout Asia. I have done a series of food-related interviews which are shown on Virgin flights in Australia. In addition I am working with Channel Nine on a series of short information programs for children and we are looking at some other mass media productions as well. My passion is still to impart the principles of gastronomy to children and others! (jeremy@ryland.com.au)

Albert Schmid (2003)
Albert is teaching at Sullivan University in Louisville, Kentucky. He teaches classes in Wines, Beers and Spirits, Gastronomic Tourism and Food and Beverage Cost Control. He is the author of The Hospitality Manager's Guide to Wines, Beers and Spirits (2004) and The Chef's Guide to Wine (2007), both published by Prentice-Hall. He also writes for www.chefs.com. He recently won a faculty grant from Sullivan University to study Active Learning in the online environment. In addition to his academic credentials Albert is certified as a Certified Culinary Professional (CCP) by the International Association of Culinary Professionals, a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE), Certified Food and Beverage Executive (CFBE) by the American Hotel and Lodging Association, a Certified Executive Chef (CEC) and a Certified Culinary Educator (CCE) by the American Culinary Federation and as a Certified Online Instructor (COI) by the LERN Corp.

Anita Stewart (2002)
Anita Stewart has been contracted by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to help coordinate the Pick Ontario Freshness programme. She continues to speak, broadcast and write extensively. Her latest book, Anita Stewart's Canada: The Food, The Recipes, The Storie, was published by Harper-Collins (Canada) in 2008 and immediately hit the best-seller lists. For more on Anita's activities, go to www.anitastewart.ca

Yuvaporn Techasuriyamanee (2004)
After I left Adelaide in August 2004, I transferred to online study and simultaneously participated in the Oriental Hotel Apprenticeship Program in Bangkok where I've worked in the Bakery for one year. I'm now operating my own Bakery called 'Melting Moments' in Downtown Bangkok, which has opened its door on 1 April, 2006. In 2007, I've relocated my bakery to a nearby area which I've expanded into both bakery and restaurant. I also run my bakery workshop twice a month at my own cooking studio on the 2nd floor of my shop. For more info, please visit http://www.melting-moments.net

Annette Tomei (2005)
I am still teaching at the French Culinary Institute in the professional culinary arts program on special topics (usually wine and catering) and manage the culinary faculty. In the future I will be writing more of the curriculum for both the professional and non-professional programs as well as running a new recreational division (1-day special subject classes). I'll also be coordinating parts of FCI's involvement with a couple of industry-wide events, including the StarChefs conference in NYC this fall. (nettomei@yahoo.com)