Having personally witnessed Miya's entire career transition, we know it's possible to go from frustrating and dissatisfied to gainfully employed in a new field - within a year.  Yes, there are some sacrifices along the way (not that we consider helping make cheese up at Jasper Hill Farm much of a sacrifice) - but once you have your dream job, it makes all of the sacrifices - monetary, schedule, and otherwise - worth it.  This tale of a cheese addict is proof positive.

What attracted you to a good food job?

I had reached a breaking point after hitting my 10 year mark in New York City. On my 35th birthday, I realized that I was not happy with my current job situation and had to make a some major changes. I knew that I had always wanted to work with food in some capacity and was just looking for the chance to make it finally happen.

It began with a class at Murray's Cheese, which lead me to a job as a cheese-monger there. Winter of '09 I left NY for a few months to adventure further in cheese. The travels went first to selling cheese at a start-up cheese shop in Minneapolis, then to Northeast VT where I created a 3 month internship at an established cheese making dairy farm and cheese aging facility. The hands-on learning and connections I made over the course of  the 6 months was invaluable. When I returned to NY in the summer I would need to find a job, preferably in cheese, that would be challenging and interactive.

I finally landed at Forever Cheese, a cheese importing company out of Queens, NY where I work with larger scale cheese buyers, and cheese distributors. I visit stores and warehouses and advise customers on what to buy for their retail stores. Our company focuses on the traditions of generations of European cheese makers and small producers of artisan cheese from Italy, Spain and Portugal. After following the life cycle of cheese; from the dairy farm, to aging caves, to distribution centers and finally to the happy mouths of consumers, I feel like I have really experienced an amazing living history. Talking to people who are as excited about cheese as I am is one of the biggest perks of my job.

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

Before I chose to ride the 'good food wave', I had been working as a teacher and an artist. As a glass blower and ceramicist, almost all of the plates, bowls and dishes I was making were inspired by my love of entertaining and cooking; combining practicality with aesthetics. Growing up in Montreal, my Israeli mother raised us on a vegetable rich Mediterranean diet and encouraged us all to excel in the kitchen. Food is an integral part of my self-definition. I am addicted to Saveur and dearly departed Gourmet magazines, I inhale food memoires and love to hear how people connect to their food through the varied traditions they grew up with.

When I started work as a cheese-monger, I realized that what drew me to cheese were the traditions. The fact that most of the cheeses that are made today still use recipes and techniques that were used for hundreds of years, and have been passed down from generation to generation, is really amazing to me. At work, most of my time is spent talking to people about cheese, tasting cheeses from around the world and helping buyers to better understand their role in keeping these cheese making traditions alive.

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

Go out on a limb! If you are passionate about something, make every effort to make that passion a part of your daily life. Rejection sucks but it should not keep you from reaching higher and aspiring to more. Talk to lots of people working in all kinds of different food jobs. Make your interests and desires real by looking for volunteering opportunities, internships, networking events, and classes. If the opportunities do not currently exist for you to do what you dream of doing - create it yourself!

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

I wouldn't be a real New Yorker if I didn't dream of a backyard garden and a huge kitchen where I can cook for my friends and family.