Slow Food CNY

My name’s Jesse Goodglass and I’m a special education teacher in the Syracuse City School District.  I learned about healthy eating and cooking in my early 20’s through friends and family who made the most delicious meals I’ve tasted and have come to love food preparation.  I, too, believe that people should have access to healthy, locally grown, affordable foods to feed their families.  I’m excited to have the opportunity to serve on the board of Slow Food CNY and look forward to meeting more people in our community.

I’m Paul Salvatore Mercurio and healthy eating has been important to me since since I was a teenager.  I realized one day that I was a dangerously obese child and started, on that day, to take steps to eat healthier.  Since that time, I’ve learned about food miles, the importance of local farms, and the joys of cooking (both healthy and not!).  I’m excited to be a part of Slow Food and I hope we can be a vehicle to raise awareness.  I believe, as more people become aware of the hidden implications in every bite of food we eat, that our bodies, our region, and our environment will all become healthier and stronger.

My name is Meredith Perreault. I work for a local environmental organization, but outside of work hours, I live to eat.  I come from a long line of good cooks (and good eaters). I learned early that one of the most important foundations to a meaningful life is through food: chosen with the earth in mind, cooked with love, and shared with friends and family. As a Slow Food CNY board member, I can work towards good, clean, fair food as an attainable reality for our community.

I’m Libby Stacey and I have been a vegetarian with a sweet tooth for fifteen years.  I love to cook, bake, and discover local foods- from my hometown of Syracuse to Madrid, Spain!  I especially love sharing my passion for food with others by hosting dinner parties and making cupcakes.  I am also a Spanish teacher in the Syracuse City School District, where I frequently share my interest in healthy, diverse eating with my students.  As a board member of Slow Food CNY, I have a chance to broaden the community of people who I can teach about good food, and of people who can teach me!

I’m Dawn Wilson and I’m very excited to be a part of the Slow Food CNY board.  I love to cook, eat and entertain and believe delicious, healthy and fair food should be affordable and accessible to everyone.  To me, eating and living the slow food way seems only natural, and I believe if we all bring more awareness to how we eat we’ll be healthier and have more vibrant communities (although I’m definitely no purist – I still need a cold diet coke once in awhile).  I’m excited to help plan events for, share food with and serve our Slow Food members in Central New York.

My name is Melissa Young. My love of food and people primarily has to do with the amazing cook and humanitarian in my life- my mom. Working with the SUNY Binghamton Food Co-op comes in second place. Currently, I am part of Slow Food CNY, running NYFoodTrader.org, shopping at the Syracuse Real Food Co-op, meeting local farmers in CNY, and try as much as I can to volunteer on farms- all of which are continuing to shape my interest in food production and cooking. My favorite Syracuse band is Animal Pants.

My name is Raymie Hudson and I am a long-time resident of upstate New York.  I have always been passionate about food and cooking, even as a young child watching my mother intently while she cooked.  When I attended Syracuse University, majoring in Environmental Geography, my perspective on food shifted.  I began to learn about the real environmental and social impacts the agricultural system can have.  At that point, eating foods that were produced in a sustainable way became a major priority.   I love to cook and share healthful foods with friends and family, selecting foods that have a positive effect on our local environment and economy.  I will also be starting my first full-scale backyard garden this spring, so I would love to gain any tips and insights from other area gardeners!