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Michelle Kiefer
Fishmonger
Sea to Table
June 26, 2012

Photo by Ryan Lee http://www.ryanjohnlee.com/

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.

When did you know that you wanted to work in food?

I entered college with plans to go into the arts. My first semester at school I had a little room in my schedule, and I decided to take this random class called "Food in Literature" that was basically a food book club in NYU's Food Studies department. It was a combination of the food classes I tried to fit into my schedule throughout college, and living in New York, which is such a food-oriented city, that made that "what if" feeling continue to grow, reminded me how food had always made me happy. I remember feeling like maybe it was too late to go in a different direction (which is laughable now, considering how often people make career changes later in life), but I decided sometime toward the end of school to give it a shot.

How did you get your current good food job?

After college, even though I had a few food internships under my belt, I couldn't land that "perfect" food job that I thought I should have. At the same time I had an interest in waitressing because I wanted to learn more about the restaurant world, as well as have the kind of flexibility (in scheduling, the ability to travel more, etc) that I wanted at that point in my life. So I got this job at a Brooklyn restaurant called Palo Santo. I feel thankful that Jacques, the owner, gave me that opportunity - getting a waitressing job in New York with no experience is pretty impossible - and working there was one of the best things I've ever done. I met amazing people, and learned invaluable job skills that I know I'll take with me into every future job that I have.

One of the perks of waiting tables is that you can pursue other interests during the day, and I wanted to explore another area of the food world. I came across a listing on Good Food Jobs for a 10 hour per week contact list/social media position with a sustainable fish distributor called Sea to Table. "I can do that," I thought. Then I clicked on the website link, and this picture pops up of my boss, Jacques (Sea to Table features chef pictures on their site)! Suddenly I remembered that Palo Santo buys fish from Sea to Table, and something about the idea of having my boss give a recommendation to a company we knew weirded me out, so I decided not to apply. A few weeks later I told the story to my co-worker, Araby. She didn't laugh, though, instead she was adamant, "You should apply - you'll get it!" I emailed Sea to Table and a week later I had the job.

The job was very entry level. Ten hours per week calling sales prospects and getting them to sign up for our Weekly Fish Report, and then after a couple of months I started managing our Twitter and Facebook accounts. I knew the phone calls and database management weren't things I wanted to do for very long, but I stuck with it because Michael and Sean, my bosses, had alluded to growth potential, and I believed them. In July I asked Michael to give me more hours, and my responsibilities started growing. In October they offered me a full-time position.

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

Every valuable job skill I have seems to have come from my year working in a restaurant. I learned how to deal with people, how to multi-task, how to manage stressful situations. Working in a place where most of our ingredients came from local farms, my interest in small, local purveyors grew. It also provided me with a connection that I think helped me land my current position. But I think the most important thing I learned is that satisfaction and opportunity can come from anywhere - there are still things I really miss about working there.

What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome in pursuing your Good Food Job dream?

In my new job at Sea to Table I realized that there were a lot of opportunities for company growth that I could help with, but that I had absolutely no experience or training to help do these things. For example, they wanted to make these videos of the fishermen that they work with. I insisted on helping make them - even though I knew nothing about video editing. Pretty much everything that I do I'm learning as I go, and there have been times where I've seriously doubted my ability to contribute something of value. Feeling over your head can be a good thing though, and I'm really grateful that I'm in a place where I'm allowed to learn and experiment.

What can you identify as the greatest opportunities in food right now?

There are a lot of opportunities for people who are willing to start anywhere. I've met a lot of start-ups who probably can't give you that dream job - yet - but if you are willing to grow as the company grows, that can be an enormous opportunity. I also think that there is a lot of joy to be found in the jobs that people don't deem important or glamorous. Once we realize that, I think there is more potential to make a difference in the places where we happen to find ourselves.

Also, I met a Maine fisherman recently who said there aren't enough new faces getting into fishing - so that's something to consider!

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

Food and plane tickets. One of the best things about working in food is that free meals always happen to find their way to you.

Do you have reservations about leaving a full-time gig for a part-time passion?

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