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Erin Carlman Weber
Editorial Intern
Leite's Culinaria
April 04, 2011

We have yet to devise a formal system for tracking how many people find Good Food Jobs on our site, but we're always excited when someone reaches out to us to say that they're gainfully employed, thanks to our job posts. Erin is another happy ending - or happy middle, given that she's got a bright future ahead of her - that we can't take all the credit for. Erin's persistence and passion landed her some coveted spots in the Boston area, and she's exemplifying the strategy of taking a part-time good food job (which pays) in order to support her good food internship (which doesn't).

For musings from Erin, check out her blog at http://foodinaword.tumblr.com/

What attracted you to a good food job?

Without getting too schmaltzy, people who work in food are my kind of folks. There's a spiritedness that cuts across all kinds of food jobs, whether you're serving it, selling it, cooking it, writing about it, or advocating for healthier versions of it in school lunches. And they generally like to eat really well, too.

As for the writing bit, I studied journalism as an undergrad and have always been into words. My mom's a reporter and occasional food writer, so I grew up watching her talk to new people and visiting places she wouldn't have otherwise gone. It seemed like nonstop learning, so that was what drew me to journalism in the first place. A few years ago, I realized that life would be pretty darn awesome if I could spend it learning and writing about food. So, my focus was thus narrowed. And I've been right about the awesomeness so far.

How did you get your current good food job?

It was quite easy, really. I made one of my several-times-daily visits to Good Food Jobs in October and saw an opening with Leite's Culinaria. I applied and then sort of forgot about it, writing off the chance that the impressive folks behind a James Beard-award winning website would want me to work with them. I couldn't be happier about having been wrong.

And I actually have two good food jobs. (I'm a hoarder. A lucky one.)

I just started as an assistant to the charcutière at Formaggio Kitchen, this unreal cheese and specialty grocery shop in Cambridge, MA. Formaggio was one of my first stops after moving to Boston last fall, and my immediate reaction to the place was that I'd sleep in the aisles if I could. I interviewed for a position in their kitchen and didn't get it, but it was going to take more than rejection to get rid of me. I asked the charcutière if I could stage (fancy French word that means "work for free") with her once a week. In a happy turn of events, she thinks I've got some decent sausage and pâté-making skills, and she's going to need some time off in the summer when she has her first child. Boom. A legit employee at last.

How did your previous work or life experience prepare you for a good food job?

I've never made much money, so I'm totally prepared for a job in food. Kidding. Mostly.

I've worked in restaurants on and off for a decade, spent all my tips from serving and bartending on travel, and went through formal culinary training as part of my current studies toward a Master's degree in food studies at Boston University. I read a lot. In a previous, less-busy life, I cooked a lot. And aside from traveling, learning, and tasting at every chance, I accumulated a decent collection of non-food skills. (It's not all about eating, people.) Journalism school taught me how to write a coherent sentence. From my only brush with the so-called real world-a two-year stint at The Onion-I learned about branding, events, project management, and how to melt down spare promotional chocolate in the office microwave to make a coating for pretzels.

What advice do you have for others in search of a good food job?

You're not too good to work for free. Everyone wants a food job, and if you didn't do it, there would be 67 people in line behind you willing to work for even more free. If you're an unknown entity, it's the best way to prove yourself and fill in gaps in skill and knowledge. At the same time, know your worth and be very choosy about to whom you offer your deeply discounted labor. My position with Leite's Culinaria is hands-down the best internship I've ever had-and I think I'm bumping up on eight or nine of them at this point. I work with kind, smart people who are passionate and knowledgeable about exactly what I want to do. Better still, they're always checking to make sure I'm getting the experience I want and need from them. And they let me do cool stuff like write about leek length contests and manage their social media. Can't beat that.

If you could be compensated for your work with something other than money, what would it be?

A couple of extra hours in each day, which I would spend reading and cooking.

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