A wonderful synopsis of our June 2008 trip in the Washington Times by writer and CulinaryCorps alum, Julie Schwietert-Collazo.

When a Vacation Just Isn’t a Vacation

The site has been quiet these past few months but certainly not for lack of things to write about. This summer has proven to be quite a watershed experience for CulinaryCorps and we are happy to finally find the time to report on it.

In July, we traveled to Napa Valley to speak at this year’s TASTE 3 conference, Robert Mondavi’s summit at the intersection of food, wine and art. Sharing the vision of Culanthropy and the mission of CulinaryCorps with an audience of food and wine experts was both heart-warming and inspiring. For those of you not familiar with the conference, it is safe to say it is the best kept secret of the food/wine world. Run beautifully and efficiently, the three-day event affords participants experiences like no other. The setting alone, COPIA , is worthy of a trip. After the talk, we were overwhelmed as person after person came up to us with a smile, hugged us tightly and said “thank you”. A few days later we were delighted to be on the front page of the Napa Valley Register.

Next, we were invited to speak on Voluntourism.org, a website founded by David Clemmons that helps travelers find a way to give back while exploring their destinations. Our hour-long webcast had us discussing New Orleans, our unique model of engagement and the challenges we face as as an organization that hosts chefs that are both visitors and volunteers.

And lastly, we were delighted to be interviewed by The William & Mary Alumni Magazine. Our alma mater in Williamsburg, VA and where we first got our start cooking albeit for very social reasons; to win the hearts of our freshman hall mates with fresh blueberry muffins.

Many thanks to my little sis, Allie C., for working CulinaryCorps into the annals of National Geographic!

We proudly graced the e-pages of National Geographic Traveler’s intelligent traveler blog. We’ll consider it a good luck omen at the start of our trip. Have a peek by clicking here.

The new team convenes in New Orleans this Sunday and if internet access allows, we’ll be trying to keep you up to date on our events all week.

Until then…do good, eat well, and stay hungry!

Deb F. (CulinaryCorps Dec ‘07) recapped the trip experience in her alma mater’s alumni newsletter. A graduate of the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, Deb F. captured the week with detail, warmth and sincerity. She ended her prose with the following quote:

“Throughout the trip we got to listen, learn, and empathize.
Everyone had a story to share: where they were during the
storm, how long before they could get back to New Orleans
and into their homes, the damage they incurred, the friends
that left for good, the friends who returned to pick up the
pieces and reclaim their lives in the Big Easy. It was probably
the most challenging, intense, emotional, and rewarding
experience I’ve had.”

Click here to check out a great article by author Julie Schwietert featuring CulinaryCorps in Matador Volunteer - an online publication that seeks to promote the incredible work being done by grass-roots organizations and NGOs worldwide, and to connect people with volunteer programs and opportunities that make travel matter.

We are thrilled that both Julie and her husband, Francisco, will be joining us as volunteers during our upcoming June trip. Francisco is a private chef here in New York City and we hear he has some amazing Cuban specialties up his sleeve. Both Julie and Francisco will be helping to document the trip for our upcoming speaking engagement at this year’s TASTE3 conference in July. Check out the couple’s amazing photography, writing, music and adventures on their website Collazo Projects.

We were recently invited to join FohBoh, the new on-line networking community for culinary professionals, and happily jumped on board. Founder Michael Atkinson posted our latest recruitment announcement on their homepage blog - a huge boon for our June trip. The most recent comments made us smile…

At 12:40pm on Apr 15th, 2008, Jim said…

Thanks for highlighting the CulinaryCorps and its mission, which is more important than ever. I recently spotted a news reference to the organization (although I cannot recall where…) and briefly browsed their site. Your post prompts me to learn more about their invaluable work.

From the perspective an epi-curious resident of Planet Earth, I’ve rarely seen such a beautiful convergence of meaning: food, culture and culinary collaboration all happening in a unfamiliar community context in which everyone learns and grows. Brilliant!

At 6:39pm on Apr 15th, 2008, Diane said…

Sounds like a fabulous way to combine education with charity and still get out of town for a whole new perspective. There’s nothing like going someplace else to help other people you don’t even know, even for a short while. This kind of thing opens our eyes and broadens perspective.

Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief of Gourmet Magazine, helped our recruiting efforts in her weekly e-newsletter, The Gourmet Weekly. Proudly displaying flats of luscious LA strawberries, CulinaryCorps alumni Summer and Danielle were our photogenic ambassadors. Take a peek at the shout-out here.

CulinaryCorps has been invited to present at this year’s Taste 3 Conference in Napa Valley, CA - an honor that roughly marks the first year anniversary of our inaugural trip. We are excited to break bread with inspirational culinary visionaries while spreading the good works of our CulinaryCorps alumni. For more information on Robert Mondavi’s brainchild at the intersection of wine, food and art, go to www.taste3.com.

Our friends at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum always have a way with words. Case in point, their great overview of our day archiving culinary treasures at Antoine’s.

A wonderful overview in the CMBC Community Update about CulinaryCorps’ latest brunch at the Holy Angels Farmers Market.

And a delightfully written shout-out from our friends at SlowFood USA!