Home > UNISG Alumni Network > Alumni Stories > Laura DeOliveira, UNISG Alumna and Community Manger at Good Food Foundation

Where does your passion for gastronomy come from and what brought you to enroll at UNISG?
The passion I have for gastronomy originated from the influence of both my Portuguese and Italian ancestry. Back in the 1950’s my grandparents immigrated to the United States bringing with them their own culinary traditions. My parents grew up with European culinary influences in the household, but also surrounded by the melting pot that was New York City in the 60’s and 70’s. By the time I came along, I lived in a household where we consumed some Portuguese and Italian inspired dishes but mostly traditional American food.

The DeOliveira house was known by others for its comfort and warm inviting hospitality. Growing up with three older siblings, we always had a packed house. All our friends would immediately hit the refrigerators and pantry trying to alleviate their adolescent hungers. My Mom kept the house stocked with fruits, vegetables, cold cuts, prepared salads and breads from the local Italian deli and an endless assortment of the best snacks. My Dad would bring home a wide array of intriguing food items such as hummus, taro chips, halva, lupini beans, taramasalata, tapenade, sardines, Bacalhau, gyoza, gelato and plenty of imported cured meats and cheeses. Our household was a melting pot of culinary delights.

As a young girl, eager to please people, I naturally took to cooking. It was easy enough to use my brothers’ friends as guinea pigs. They were always hungry and extremely intrusive, having the audacity on the weekends to wake me up in the middle of the night to make them late-night snacks. Quesadillas were a big hit back then and everyone was allowed to customize their order with their desired fillings. While very simple to prepare, I took so much satisfaction in making sure that the tortillas were crispy all the way around on both sides and the cheese had melted to perfection. Equally satisfying was seeing the response of pleasure as someone ate my food.

Cooking offered an escape from the incessant mind chatter of my head; I could fall into the process and details of the preparation. Food has always been the conduit that allows me to explore my artistic expression and immerse myself in the act of creating something. It was here that my passion for culinary arts began.

Cooking at home led to taking culinary classes in high school at a vocational program and then heading off to the Culinary Institute of America to learn how to cook professionally. After graduating, I took on many jobs in the culinary field but unfortunately, came to realize that working in kitchens and high production facilities did not satisfy the same spark of joy as feeding my loved ones.

In my family, we love to eat meals together at the dinner table and have lengthy, often loud conversations about life, politics and all the things you are “not” supposed to talk about. Back in the day my parents frequently hosted parties for celebratory moments or barbecue’s that turned into gatherings during the summer months. These days my siblings all have families of their own and they host these special gatherings. And now, my greatest joy comes from seeing my nieces and nephews getting interested in cooking and having the opportunity to teach them about where their food comes from. Through my loved ones, I get to continually reignite my gastronomic passion. Till this day, my family is a reminder that everything always starts around a meal together.

Within time, I came to find the traditional culinary career path too limiting, unequitable, unsustainable, and morally deflating. So, I needed to find another career path within the food system that suited my inquisitive, analytical, thoughtful, and practical personality.

It all came back to a book I found when I was first getting interested in cooking and endlessly perusing the cookbook section at Barnes and Noble for inspiration. I came across the book Terra Madre: 1,6000 Food Communities from 2006. Entranced by a book that highlighted food crafters, farmers and fisherman from around the world, I continued to follow Slow Food over the years. I carried around this book with me and even had Carlo Petrini sign it when he attended an event that I had been interning at for the Good Food Foundation. In 2017, I finally made the leap to attending the Master of Food, Culture and Communication at UNISG.

Can you sum up your path after Pollenzo and what values did you carry with you that enriched you during your time as a student? 
After Pollenzo, I have continued to seek out community. In my work and in my life, there is no greater feeling than being connected to people, organizations and networks that have the same vested interest as you. Community is fundamental in helping enact tangible change in the things you value by leveraging the power of people. Life and the environmental degradation we are facing is scary. It is easy to be consumed by all the challenges humanity continues to face, and change can take a long time. But I think when we build networks and support valuable systems, show up each day, it helps make the insurmountable feel possible.

As community manager at Good Food Foundation what are the main challenges that you face in your everyday job?
As the Community Manager for the past 4 years at the Good Food Foundation, the predominant focus of my role is communication, vetting and outreach to our 1,000 plus Good Food community and partner organizations across the US. One of my main roles is managing the Good Food Guild. The Guild is our community of food and beverage crafters built to foster, distinguish, and unite Good Food producers into a vibrant economic force in America. I dialogue with various producers and review hundreds of applications to determine if a business meets the quality and sustainability standards set by our organization. Additionally, I help crafters navigate our events to determine if they are a good fit for their business.

Working with hundreds of food and beverage crafters, I often analyze the impact of our work within the community either through email communications, phone conversations or follow up surveys after an event. I hear about the uphill battles that a lot of small-scale food producers face. Sometimes it’s hard to come to terms with the fact that the products with the most sustainability, value, nutrition, and beneficial localized economic impact are the ones that have the hardest time surviving in the current market. However, this is one job out of many, that I continually look forward to showing up for.

What’s next?
After 4 years working at the Good Food Foundation, I have once again decided to enroll in another European Master’s program. The degree will be in International Master on Wine Tourism Innovation. A goal of mine is to eventually create a business focused on gastronomic, agricultural, and eno- tourism. Hoping to turn my grandparents’ Portuguese farm property, with the help of my father and cousins, into a location for hosting guests as well as producing small-scale amounts of olive oil, wine, and other value-added local agricultural products. I envision people, both professionals and the public, coming to experience, share, learn, and celebrate life. Offering an invitation to those interested in cultivating their own passions and bringing more joy into their daily existence. A place for dialogue and interactive gatherings created around food and of course, copious amounts of wine.