Chef Spotlight

Chef Jerri Myers - L’École Culinaire Memphis

What has your experience been like at L’École?

Fantastic! I have been blessed many times over by my students and have really enjoyed working with the other instructors and administrators here at L’École in Memphis.

Have there been any highlights from L’École you’d like to share?

Seeing my past “101’s” at my kitchen door waiting to show off their latest culinary creation from their current phase.

What made you interested in teaching?

I’ve always enjoyed sharing the things I’ve learned from my many classes, travels and reading, and it seemed a great fit to enter the teaching profession.

What inspired you to become a chef?

Not necessarily what, but who–my mom and my grandmother. They were both great cooks! My mom made me start cooking for the family at 14, not because she needed the help, but she needed me to learn. My grandmother was green before green was PC. She only cooked out of the garden and from the animals she raised. All from scratch and she passed that along to me as I spent time with her in my younger years.

What is your favorite dish?

As my student says, “Chef you like everything!” He’s right, I love all savory foods. Thai food right now, is my food of choice.

What are your interests outside of the culinary world?

My family, travel and reading a great book on a beach!

You are well traveled. Of all the places you have been, which would you say was the best?

Umbria, Italy! What can you say about driving a five-speed through the mountains of Italy, playing an Italian card game, “Briscola” with Italian speaking men in a walled castle-like country town during a rain storm, eating phenomenal pasta and pizza, tasting seconds old olive oil “just pressed,” with olives you have hand-picked in a fog laden hillside orchard. Need I say more?

You received training from Julia Child. What was that experience like?

I took a class from Julia Child in her later years, just before her death. I felt very privileged to be in her presence after watching her for years as the original television teacher and after collecting most of her cookbooks. She still had so much to say and I had so much respect for her, she still had that teachers heart. She continued to learn, and teach and was still humble and always appreciative of new knowledge.

If you could cook for anyone in the world who would it be?

My Dad! He was my biggest fan. What advice would you give to students who are currently enrolled? Continue to listen to all your instructors and take all the knowledge and experience these professionals have to offer. What advice would you give to graduates? Use what we gave you, and now go work hard to make your own great experiences. Open your ears, close your mouth and DIG IN!

What would you say to someone who is looking into enrolling at L’École?

L’École is a great place to receive a culinary beginning from the “Best of the Best” chefs the Mid- South has to offer!