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鈥檚 School of Culinary Science, Nutrition, and Food Safety, 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 the 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鈥檚 Caf茅, two student-staffed restaurants on campus. While serving as associate dean for curriculum and instruction, he developed the CIA鈥檚 advanced cooking curriculum. He was also the content leader for the second edition of the CIA鈥檚 classic text, The Techniques of Healthy Cooking, and was the founding chair of the Faculty Council.
Before joining the 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 鈥淚t tastes as good as it looks! The effect of food presentation on liking for the flavor of food.鈥 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鈥檚 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 Background:
Professor鈥擟ulinary Science; Professor鈥擟ulinary Arts; Associate Dean for Curriculum and Instruction; Chef-Instructor, American Bounty Restaurant and St. Andrew鈥檚 Caf茅, 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.
Awards:
The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, Commonwealth of Kentucky, 2013. Culinary Instructor Hall of Fame, Chef2Chef.Net, 2006. Chef of the Year, Virginia Chefs鈥 Association, 1987. Winner, Governor鈥檚 Cup, Virginia Seafood Challenge, 1986.
Author:
The Great Chefs of Virginia. Peer-reviewed paper (co-author), 鈥淚t tastes as good as it looks! The effect of food presentation on liking for the flavor of food.鈥
Member:
Board of Directors, International Association of Culinary Professionals. ACF. Order of the White Jacket. Ecological Society of America. Aldo Leopold Society of the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies. Flagon and Trencher Society. Confr茅rie de la Cha卯ne des R么tisseurs. L鈥橭rdre Mondial.