Last Thursday, November 20th, our school got the exciting chance to meet a professional culinary chef – Dan Goglanian, a culinary talent scout from Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, which has multiple in-person and online secondary education opportunities. He came to our school to scout out any up-and-coming chefs or anyone looking to join the industry. The Hitching Post got the opportunity to interview him, and he had very interesting things to say.
About Him
Mr. Goglanian has been a scout for an astounding 24 years, way before we were born. He says it all started with his teachers. “It started in 5th grade. My teacher always said I talked too much, so I got a degree in communication. After that, I found my love for food and took culinary classes.”
Chef Dan tells us that as a culinary talent scout, he scouts schools for talent in cooking. Many students come from different backgrounds, so a diverse high-school is perfect for culinary school scouting, job opportunities and culinary jobs. Dan gave us a walkthrough of how he evaluates restaurants and hires scouts, “What I look for is that they have a solid menu, good reviews, clean establishment, and excellent customer service. You also have to love people through food and have the ability to connect with people.”
AI and Social Media Influence
Social media has a big influence on cooking and food as many people post new viral trends. Interviewee, Dan stated, “Social Media platforms affect the food industry hugely because with AI, it takes the food pairings and combines it with social media food trends. Chefs or restaurants look at these trends and use them as ideas to add to their menus.”
As AI takes over the world it also takes over the food industry as Dan believes that social media will both hurt and benefit the food world.
Inspiration
Like Dan, many people love their job of being a scout for a culinary school. Although he loves it, he hopes that in the future, chefs or food enthusiasts make the cuisines healthier. One piece of advice Dan wanted to share was, “There is a nurturing aspect; love to nurture people through food and be willing to put in long hours.” Dan shares with us that as a chef, you need to have a love and passion for food.
Dan appreciated our interview and has high hopes for any future chef and that this will help influence other people to become a part of the food industry.
You can find out more about his school at www.escoffier.edu.
For future career talks on campus, check with the Counseling and Career Center, on Schoology, or in the daily announcements.
