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Boston University’s culinary arts program was born in 1989, when Rebecca Alssid was asked to do seminars in some dormant BU kitchens. (Kalman Zabarsky ) |
G Force
Boston University’s Culinary Arts Program was cofounded in 1989 by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin. It recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. We spoke with director Rebecca Alssid about two decades of cooking, learning, and working with the renowned chefs who have passed through BU’s kitchens. DEVRA FIRST
Q. Congratulations on 20 years. Most important question first: How was the party?
A. It was a huge event. There were about 1,200 people and a wait list of about 500. There was an accumulation of very great cooks in town. The chefs all came out. They were fabulous. There were about 45 of them. All the restaurants were there.
Q. What do you think is unique about this program?
A. It’s very different from other programs. It’s small; there are only 12 people in the class. Everyone who comes does not necessarily want to be a cook. They come for all sorts of reasons. Some want to teach. Some have gone into government, into public policy. Many already have restaurants and want to hone their skills. Many of them are career changers, even coming from professional careers like medicine or law. What they really wanted to do was cook all along.
Q. How did it begin?
A. BU had gorgeous kitchens built for the school of hospitality. Here were these kitchens, just sitting there. I’ve been at the university for about 35 years - I was doing continuing ed things, running movie series and arts programs. My boss said, “I want you to do seminars in the kitchen,’’ and that’s how it all began. Someone told me to call Jacques Pepin. I didn’t even know who he was. I got in touch with him, I got in touch with Julia, [chef] Jeremiah Tower came. After that, I just called people up.
Q. Have you seen many changes in the food world since then?
A. There’s more fusion food going on. Young chefs mix French classical with Asian. In terms of techniques, there’s more barbecuing going on, smoking and curing, chefs like Jamie Bissonnette teaching how to make charcuterie.
Q. There must be a lot of good stories from the years. Can you share one?
A. Marcella [Hazan] was going to do a demo in front of about 80 people. She was getting her prep ready, and she said to this woman, “Put the food outside.’’ I think it was scallops. She meant to put it in the other room in the refrigerator, but the woman went into the other room, and there’s a door that leads to the parking lot. . . . Well, when it was time for Marcella to do the demo, the woman went outside to get them. And someone had taken them. Marcella thought it was so funny. She put it in her autobiography.
Q. Any good Julia Child memories?
A. Julia was always wonderful. Before she left for California, when the Smithsonian was taking her kitchen, the day before we had a big dinner in her house. The students prepared that meal, and there were a whole bunch of us from around the area. That was quite remarkable. She was a great teacher. That was where her heart was, in teaching people.
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