Good Food Jobs is a gastro-job search tool, designed to link people looking for meaningful food work with the businesses that need their energy, enthusiasm, and intellect. We post opportunities with farmers and food artisans, policy makers and purveyors, retailers and restaurateurs, economists, ecologists, and more.
the gastrognomes is a blog for food lovers who want to put their passions to work. We profile the most interesting, engaging, and unlikely food professionals that we find, and we publish them here to inspire you.
NICE THINGS PEOPLE SAY
Thanks so much for everything you and Dorothy are doing for the community. We all appreciate it and I hope you feel the love everyone has for you and GFJ!
- Ariel, GFJ Fan
Here is a preliminary thanks for helping me find a job (or at least looking at options) doing what I love.
- Kathleen, GFJ Fan
We're so glad to be of service.
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THE 'WHY I CRIED' PROJECT
Astrology is something that our type-A, practical selves have always felt compelled to take with a grain of salt. Yet it seems like ever since we read Jessica Prentice’s Full Moon Feast (isn’t it always easier to embrace a strange concept if you relate it to food?), our daily orbit around Food and Nature has opened up to consider the influence of the Planet - ours and others. Because we feel intuitively that nature’s forces are more complex that we can understand, our weekly horoscope offers relief when life’s questions become so loud that we can’t hear ourselves think.
This week, we were inspired by the plight of others. Three friends, in fact, whose feelings of being lost and wandering were so overwhelming that they couldn’t stop themselves from bursting into tears, one after the other, in public. It got us thinking… and moved us to seek out some wisdom beyond our selves. This week’s outlook included the following (for the full text, click here):
The planets align with increasing complexity this week, and as the routines of daily life mirror the sky, many of us are likely to feel overwhelmed by the attention required to handle the details with skill. Finding a way through the week without getting lost requires figuring out how to defy the gravity of conventional wisdom but not lose the solid ground of common sense. This challenge is not for anyone devoted to the “tried and true.” Much of what’s worked before isn’t working anymore (and actually hasn’t worked for a while), so the old excuse “this is the way it’s always done” doesn’t hold. But we’ve yet to create innovative, viable solutions to a seemingly endless stream of emergencies – and that’s a problem, especially as nervous systems struggle to stay steady. Don’t be surprised if you or someone close to you just can’t cope with a “normal” task. Be careful not to push yourself or those you love too hard – almost everyone is stretched to the limit, and honoring those limits will help to soothe the stress.
http://www.aquariumage.com/
As we grow older, we continue to practice living by the freeing mantra that it’s easier to live in ignorant bliss, but it’s much more rewarding to brave painful truths. This has allowed us to confront our challenges square in the face, and tackle them accordingly. While there are still times when we feel frustrated or confused, we feel an assurance that we can overcome any troubles, despite how hopeless things may seem.
But it wasn’t always this way. Taylor recalls the social paralysis she felt when she graduated from her second fancy food degree program, unsure of how exactly to make use of her expensive education and her undying devotion to changing the food world. She holed herself up, justifying that she wouldn’t talk to any strangers – who she perceived to be passing judgment at her inability to identify a ‘real job’ – until she could emerge as a successful professional, someone who had already made a mark on the world.
What she’s realized over the years is that on any given day she may still encounter a spectrum of folks – ranging from those who idolize her for what she’s accomplished, to those that are still skeptical that she can make a living, let alone a difference, with her ‘project’, Good Food Jobs. It’s in finding her community - those that celebrate her struggles and applaud her efforts, regardless of outcome - that she’s gained the confidence to endure and challenge nay-sayers and continue to develop the work that she loves.
We at GFJ have accepted that our 'careers' are an ever-evolving state and the ‘end goal’ is not clearly identified, and may not necessarily be achievable within our lifetimes. In the process, we’ve noticed a flaw in our current culture: that at the times when we need support most, we often feel most isolated, as a result of not wanting to show our vulnerability or engage in discourse surrounding our perceived faults. It seems as though the only waffling that our culture tolerates comes with a requisite side of (cultured) butter and (real maple) syrup.
But we’re here to (once again) attempt to convince you otherwise. We believe that there’s no greater feeling than that of being surrounded by those who truly understand the need to find meaning in life, regardless of college degrees, income, or family history. And in our attempt to remind you about this incredible community that we are cultivating together, we’re asking you to participate. We’re asking you to contribute to the dialogue. We’re asking you to share your struggles.
We see strength in the weakness of others, and it’s inspired us to reach out and ask for your stories. While we typically highlight the successes of our gastrognomes each week, today we’re inviting all of our readers to write your thoughts down and share them with us, in the style of one of our very favorite ad-free publications, The Sun Magazine. Tell us about an especially challenging time in your life surrounding your desire to work in / with food. Feel free to get creative, but here are some ideas:
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Write about a time you felt lost, as if your work couldn’t possibly be worthy of approval or praise.
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Write about feeling uncertain about the future, and the place that you would one day hope to occupy in the world.
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Write about a time you cried – in public and/or private – as a result of feeling utterly overwhelmed.
They can be anonymous – or proudly identified – and if we receive a critical mass (at least 20) we’ll publish them for everyone to see. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing your own story – or if you don’t have one (impossible!) - you can still contribute by urging someone else that you know to share theirs.
We can’t help but wonder: if our culture actually changes, will our horoscope follow suit? Will we ever have control of our fate? If not, we can embrace it by celebrating the struggle.
Celebrate your struggle. Send us your story.
We look forward to hearing from you,
Taylor & Dorothy
Co-Founders, Good Food Jobs
THE GASTRO.GNOMES BLOG
Michelle Kiefer
Fishmonger
Sea to Table
Michelle refers to her job title as 'playful', justifying that her company, Sea to Table, is so small and everyone working there is involved in a team effort toward "getting better fish from people doing things the right way." We find that adjective especially apt for anyone considering a career in food, as it often requires flexibility, a sense of humor, and a willingness to be creative and open-minded. All that and a good dose of courage landed Michelle her current post, where her duties cover social media, communications, and media projects for a growing organization. Read More
Do you have reservations about leaving a full-time gig for a part-time passion? Leave your thoughts in the comments section.
Follow our weekly blog profiles at goodfoodjobs.com/blog.
GOOD FOOD JOB HIGHLIGHTS
and over 600 other active jobs, too . . . see the full website for the latest.
GARDENER
Airlie Foundation
Warrenton, VA
We feel it this year more than ever: there's no greater power (or gift) than learning to grow your own food.
ARTISAN FOOD SALES MANAGER
MidwestRoots
Chicago, IL
We hear you loud and clear: you want MORE CHICAGO JOBS. Here's one for the windy city folks, and the wannabes.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY TEACHER
St. Philip's Academy
Newark, NJ
Can you think of a better way to make a difference than teaching?
see more good food jobs at goodfoodjobs.com
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