Alex Kaplan, 2025

Spring Break at JWU: Student Experiences

This past spring break, I had the pleasure of surrounding myself with culinary instructors, students, and three other Friedman students during an immersive program at Johnson & Wales University’s Harborside campus.

From the moment we stepped into the teaching kitchens, it was clear this was not just a culinary school—it was a community. The students welcomed us with open arms, taking the time to explain to us newbies about their process. We immersed ourselves in classes like healthy desserts, ancient grains, sustainable food systems, and a beginner bread making class. We even got to sit in on two wine tasting courses: one focusing on pairings with different cheeses and the other a private tasting for us Tufts students. The sheer volume of food that the university requires to produce their daily curriculum was astonishing. 

But what stuck with me most wasn’t the curriculum—it was the way JWU connects food education to food access. I was especially inspired by programs like Wildcat Food Rescue, which packages meals made during culinary labs and distributes them to pickup points across campus, and their weekly bake sale, which turns surplus baked goods into an opportunity to reduce waste while supporting campus food security. These initiatives demonstrate how a culinary school can go beyond teaching technique to actively model solutions for some of our food system’s most pressing challenges.

As a Registered Dietitian and current MS/MPH student focused on nutrition communication, this experience broadened my perspective on what collaboration in food systems can look like. Breaking bread (literally) with culinary students and faculty helped me reflect on the future of our food system—not just what’s on the plate, but how it gets there, and who gets to eat it. This experience reaffirmed my belief that we need stronger bridges between culinary training, public health, and food access initiatives. I left feeling energized to bring that mindset into my own work—whether that’s designing nutrition programs, creating better-for-you products, or shaping food narratives that inspire change.

A huge thank you to the Tufts Food & Nutrition Innovation Institute and Johnson & Wales University for making this unforgettable week possible. I’m grateful for the chance to return to the kitchen—not just to cook, but to imagine new possibilities for how food can nourish and connect us all.