Interview with Bazy Rubin
Interview with GCI Culinary Concierge, Bazy Rubin
The Buzz Around Tailor-Made Culinary School Experiences
“The first cohort is going to be filled with people who are self-motivated, passionate, entrepreneurial souls who are going to immerse themselves in a year of culinary exploration. Each of our students brings their unique skill set and a bag of tricks.”
Bazy, Our very own Culinary Concierge, has a unique buzz to her. She is always positive, making something happen, and just one of those people you always want to talk to! Bazy (pronounced BAH-zee) is what we call a sabra, born and raised in Israel. She lives with her husband and three energetic boys in Efrat, enjoying a view of the rolling hills of Judea. Over the years, Bazy has worked with hundreds of students of various backgrounds in many educational programs. Bazy also founded and runs two businesses, one for video production and one for team-building workshops. Though her culinary experience could spice up, she loves new challenges and making human connections along the way.
How did you discover The GCI?
My best friend told me about Dovi Chrysler, working on a revolutionary culinary school up North. A few walks later, she connected me with Nathan Hoffman, who was looking to add people to the GCI team. I was hooked and excited to join the GCI as the student concierge.
What's the most valuable lesson you've learned while working at The GCI?
Wow. Do I have to pick just one? I think the idea that culinary can be an engine of change has never been one of my own realizations in life until I got to the GCI. I am a person who expresses love and appreciation through food. Still, the GCI has opened my eyes to so many issues that the world is dealing with and that culinarians are trying to create massive change from within their culinary world. Food security, better hospitality, health, climate. These are just a few of the things passionate people around me are working on to make this world a better place, and it's downright inspiring.
How do you envision The GCI impacting the local community in the North of Israel?
The GCI is already impacting the local community in the North. The kibbutz it is situated in was losing its younger community members for years. Now that the GCI construction is underway, they see young families returning to the Kibbutz and settling there. In addition, the GCI restaurant is going to create job opportunities for locals, and the whole GCI campus is going to be a tourism hot spot in the North which will, in turn, attract more locals to invest in businesses in the area. I was up North over the summer with my family, and we passed by Kibbutz Gonen. I am excited to see how the GCI will make positive changes to the North!
As GCI's student concierge, you've been in close contact with applicants for the GCI flagship program starting next year; what can we expect to see from the first cohort? And how will the student experience be different from other culinary institutions?
One of the most significant aspects of being the student concierge is that I have had the privilege of meeting incredible human beings. The first cohort is going to be filled with people who are self-motivated, passionate, entrepreneurial souls who are going to immerse themselves in a year of culinary exploration. Each of our students brings their unique skill set and a bag of tricks. I am excited to see what a year of combined work will taste and smell like! Some of our students are already involved in different culinary fields. We have students working in food trucks, as line cooks, giving food tours in the Shuk of Jerusalem, and involved in food blogging. If these are some of the things they have been doing before culinary school, I can only imagine what incredible things they will do once graduating from our program.
The student experience will differ from other culinary institutions for several reasons. The first and foremost is the location of the school. Being up north in The Galilee, at the heart of the AgriFood-Tech scene, with many farms, food tech startups, wineries, chocolate factories, and more. They are not only going to learn the how-to from the classroom but rather bring the classroom to these locations and get a hands-on experience. The GCI's new educational approach is also revolutionary compared to other culinary programs. The fact that it's a 12-month program and that the whole year is built on a Discover, Engage, Create philosophy to help the students understand the subject matter on a deeper level is different. The students will have many opportunities to explore food topics with guidance and on their own through our four culinary personae- Storyteller, Activist, Entrepreneur, and Specialist. I believe that students will be able to take this year as an opportunity for professional and personal growth and will be exposed to many culinary aspects to help them figure out what they would like to do next.
What's a fun culinary fact about you?
Ah, fun fact: I first learned how to cook for 40-50 people and only later had to figure out how to adjust for just one or two people. I spent a year living in Perth, Australia, where I taught in a Jewish school and was involved with the local youth movement. We would host entire grades for a meal, and that's when I first learned how to make a three-course meal that could feed a small army. Fast forward a few years, when I first got married, we lived in Samaria, and for our first Sabbath at home, I made a pot of chicken soup that could have easily fed 20 people. My husband was quite alarmed by this but quickly found a solution as he walked through our door with the entire army detachment near our house. They all shuffled in, helped set up tables and chairs, and were kind enough to help us with our chicken soup. Guess I did feed a small army that day!