Remembering The Interview with Professor Jerry Fischetti

Line Cook Thoughts

On April 3rd the culinary world lost a teacher and a mentor to many. Jerry Fischetti was a professor I had in college who profoundly impacted the way I saw mental health care, self care and empathy within the food industry. This is a re-published episode from 2019, in which he was one of the first guests on the show when I started out. I hope listening gives you the insight into why so many respected Professor and the way he saw and cared for the students of the culinary world. I'll forever be grateful for the time spent knowing him and hope sharing his message honors him in some way. Below is the post sharing on how great of a person he was per The Culinary Institute of America Alumni Network: Celebrating Jerry Fischetti '78 The CIA received incredibly sad news that Professor Jerry Fischetti’78 passed away on Monday, April 3, 2023, after a brief illness. He retired from the college in 2021 but continued to teach online through the fall semester. Professor Fischetti was beloved by students, fellow faculty and staff. Professor Fischetti joined the CIA faculty in 1998 and was a member of the opening team for the Apple Pie Bakery Café. As a member of the School of Business and Management, he taught a variety of courses including Professionalism and Life Skills, Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, and Introduction to Hospitality. He was selected faculty member of the year in 2011. In addition to being an AOS graduate from the CIA, he completed a bachelor’s at Florida International University and a master’s at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Professor Fischetti spent many years in the hospitality industry before joining the college as a faculty member. He was director of catering at the Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta. His industry niche was private clubs, and he was food and beverage manager at Druid Hill Golf Club (Atlanta) and general manager of Kirkbrae Country Club (Providence). Professor Fischetti’ s true calling was in the classroom. He loved his students and teaching, and his students loved him. A student wrote in a reflection paper the following: “Professor Fischetti is more than just a hospitality expert, he is a dreamer, a romantic and a storyteller. He taught us that if you can dream it you can do it. Many people dream about retiring in Europe, but he actually did it. His retirement plans inspire me to not hold back on my dreams but put words into actions. “ We all wish Jerry would have had more time living his best life in Portugal with Tonka, his four-legged companion, and many new friends. But his mark on countless students (and faculty and staff) has been immeasurable, and his memory at the CIA will live on.