Ben-Nadav Hafri

Gracious brick buildings, photos of famous alumni on the wall, Anthony Bourdain. It's a kind of culinary temple. Little chapels, vaulted ceilings, stained glass. The doors to the main hall have a crest with three griffins and the school's motto. Sibus vitae est. Food is life.

Gracious brick buildings, photos of famous alumni on the wall, Anthony Bourdain. It's a kind of culinary temple. Little chapels, vaulted ceilings, stained glass. The doors to the main hall have a crest with three griffins and the school's motto. Sibus vitae est. Food is life.

I'm getting a tour from baking business student Hannah Dawkins. She was graduating in a semester and was filling me in on campus lore. Do you have a strong position?

I'm getting a tour from baking business student Hannah Dawkins. She was graduating in a semester and was filling me in on campus lore. Do you have a strong position?

We were walking through a library, one floor of which is all recipe books, organized according to a system I had never before encountered. Nutrition, gastronomy, kitchen equipment. As we walked through campus, I noticed all the pedestrian crossing signs had a cartoon person in a chef's hat, a toque, which, true to life, was what everyone wore, or the teachers at least.

We were walking through a library, one floor of which is all recipe books, organized according to a system I had never before encountered. Nutrition, gastronomy, kitchen equipment. As we walked through campus, I noticed all the pedestrian crossing signs had a cartoon person in a chef's hat, a toque, which, true to life, was what everyone wore, or the teachers at least.

The students all had these small skull caps on. You know you've chosen a great profession when only at the highest rank do you get to wear the silliest hat. We entered the baking building.

The students all had these small skull caps on. You know you've chosen a great profession when only at the highest rank do you get to wear the silliest hat. We entered the baking building.

Why is she using a steamer on her cake over there?

Why is she using a steamer on her cake over there?

It was becoming clear to me that this is the greatest college in America.

It was becoming clear to me that this is the greatest college in America.

The plan was to use CIA students as guinea pigs in our muffin test. Could they tell the difference between the reverse engineered muffin and the real Thomas's? Except, as Hannah toured me around campus, I was slowly realizing that this particular audience of testers might be a little too smart.

The plan was to use CIA students as guinea pigs in our muffin test. Could they tell the difference between the reverse engineered muffin and the real Thomas's? Except, as Hannah toured me around campus, I was slowly realizing that this particular audience of testers might be a little too smart.

Acidulent? Who says acidulent? Even the school's fight song was inscrutable.

Acidulent? Who says acidulent? Even the school's fight song was inscrutable.

What does mirepoix mean?

What does mirepoix mean?

She could not believe I didn't know the meaning of the word mirepoix. Do you know the meaning of the word mirepoix? Well, as I learned, it is a ratio for soup base. Two parts onion, one part carrot, one part celery, and four parts esoteric. You're welcome. And here I was, thinking these food geniuses could be fooled by my taste test. I headed over to Rachel's classroom, Bake Shop 9.

She could not believe I didn't know the meaning of the word mirepoix. Do you know the meaning of the word mirepoix? Well, as I learned, it is a ratio for soup base. Two parts onion, one part carrot, one part celery, and four parts esoteric. You're welcome. And here I was, thinking these food geniuses could be fooled by my taste test. I headed over to Rachel's classroom, Bake Shop 9.