Biography:
Jonathan Zearfoss is a professor of culinary science at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Chef Zearfoss is the senior faculty member in the college’s School of Culinary Science and Nutrition, as well as in all baccalaureate programs. He chaired the curriculum development team and coordinated the development of the program, which launched in 2013.
At CIA, Chef Zearfoss has also taught Advanced Cooking, Culinary Skill Development, Product Knowledge, Introduction to Gastronomy, and Advanced Culinary Principles. He has been chef-instructor in the American Bounty Restaurant and St. Andrew’s Café, two student-staffed restaurants on campus. While serving as associate dean for curriculum and instruction, he developed CIA’s advanced cooking curriculum. He was also the content leader for the second edition of CIA’s classic text, The Techniques of Healthy Cooking, and was the founding chair of the Faculty Council.
Before joining CIA faculty in 1989, Chef Zearfoss was an assistant chef at The Trellis in Williamsburg, VA, where he taught an American Culinary Federation (ACF) apprenticeship program. Chef Zearfoss is an ACF Certified Executive Chef, Certified Culinary Educator, and Certified Culinary Professional. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the College of William & Mary, where he also played baseball, and a Master of Arts (Liberal Studies) degree from SUNY Empire State College, focusing on Citizen Science, Habitat Ecology, and Nature Photography. He is an avid forager.
Chef Zearfoss is the author of The Great Chefs of Virginia. He and Dr. Debra Zellner co-authored the peer-reviewed paper “It tastes as good as it looks! The effect of food presentation on liking for the flavor of food.” He has conducted seminars throughout the country on healthy cooking, flavor development, ethnic cuisine, culinary education, and the pairing of food with wine and beer.
Named to The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels by Governor Steve Beshear in 2013, Chef Zearfoss is a member of the Order of the White Jacket, the Ecological Society of America, and the Aldo Leopold Society of the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies. The Virginia Chef’s Association named him 1987 Chef of the Year.
Education:
MA, SUNY Empire State College, Saratoga Springs, NY. BA, AB, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA.
Professional Experience:
Professor—Culinary Science; Professor—Culinary Arts; Associate Dean for Curriculum and Instruction; Chef-Instructor, American Bounty Restaurant and St. Andrew’s Café, CIA. Assistant Chef, The Trellis Restaurant, Williamsburg. ACF Apprentice Instructor. Cook, Shamrock Food Service, Williamsburg. Waiter, Sheraton Patriot Inn. Cook, Waiter, The Greenhouse Restaurant, Radnor, PA.