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Seven Food Careers You Never Dreamed Of

1. Kitchen Designer

CIA alumni Joel Hoffman, an expert kitchen design consultant.

CIA grad chef Joel Hoffman ’82 took his culinary degree and kitchen experience and turned himself in to an expert kitchen design consultant. He has real kitchen-cred and his customers rely on his advice to create their dream kitchens.

2. Flavorist

CIA alumni Chat Schafer is a flavorist at a food and beverage company.

Chad Schafer ’03 discovers new flavors every day working for a food and beverage company. He considers himself part chef, part chemist, and 100% innovator.

3. Food Truck-ing

CIA alumni & executive chef Josh Henderson, owns 3 food trucks, 4 restaurants, a catering business.

Josh Henderson ’98 took his executive chef experience and rolled it out in Skillet—his converted vintage 1962 Airstream food truck. Today he has three food trucks, four restaurants, and a catering business.

4. Aqua Chef

CIA alumni David Olson, chef, photographer, deep-sea diver, fisherman, and lover of adventure.

David Olson ’98 is a chef, photographer, deep-sea diver, fisherman, and lover of adventure. He’s cruised the world chronicling our fisheries, cooked gourmet food for the ships crew, and is loving his life.

5. Forager

CIA alumni Jeremy Faber, has a business foraging food from the forests of the Pacific Northwest.

Jeremy Faber ’96 has a thriving business foraging food from the forests of the Pacific Northwest. The business keeps growing, but what drives him remains the same—sharing the delicious and sustainable ingredients the earth naturally provides.

6. Food Styling

CIA alumni Kersti Bowser, one of the most sought after media industry food stylists.

Kersti Bowser ’01 is one of the most sought after media industry food stylists. She really knows how to show food to its best advantage and make media stars and chefs shine.

7. Ramen Master

CIA alumni Ivan Orkin, opened Ivan Ramen in Japan and 2 more restaurants in NYC.

Ivan Orkin ’93 took his love of Japanese culture and cooking skills to Japan to open Ivan Ramen. Amazingly, in a country where ramen has cult status, his ramen was a huge success. He now has two more restaurants in New York City.