Intern Reports & Experiences

About our Interns


Chef Shannon Overmiller-2004

Shannon put together a plan to go to the mountains of Italy just north of Milan. She spent 10 days on a farm that produces all its own vegetables and raise all their own animals-geese, pigs and goats. Their main business is a "salumeria" where they preserve all parts of the pig by curing the meat in many forms. In addition, they run a small restaurant on the farm where for $25 you get a full meal including a simple salad, pickled mountain cherries, cured olives, polenta Tragna, sautéed Radicchio, and finished with seasoned flatstone grilled cuts of pork. All this is served with house wine and house made goat cheese.

These are some of her thoughts and memories-

  • "I first want to express my extreme gratitude for the experience of a lifetime."
  • "Thank you for helping me realize the possibilities."
  • "Food at its source is the only way to understand the true history and time developed methods of preservation, progress and production of a certain food type."
  • I listened to cowbells as the animals on the farms roamed freely, until they returned for feeding on their own accord." Fresh air, fresh water, untarnished land and freedom to roam all contribute to a happy animal, therefore a better product to eat."
About the butchery-
  • "Every different piece of the pig is used for something, whether it is sausage, salami, cotechino, blood sausage, proscuitto or pancetta. I learned the basic process (as best as time allowed) for all these different items."
  • "I now have a knowledge that many in modern kitchens in the states may not know…"


Chef Sean Myers-2004

Sean went from Chicago to Portland, Maine to spend a week with Rod Mitchell at Browne Trading Company, a specialty fish wholesaler/retailer. They import caviar, produce smoked salmon, and supply the fish to many of the best restaurants in the country including Le Bernardin, and Charlie Trotter's, Chicago.

Sean grew up in Chicago and works at Charlie Trotter's. Charlie recommended Sean and enthusiastically supported his trip to Maine. For Sean it was a first time experience with the ocean and he was "submerged" in its beauty.

Sean had a diversified week. He went from the caviar room, where imported caviar is repackaged to the smoke room, where the fish in brined, dry brined and then smoked. He attended a fish auction and went fishing off the coast of Maine. On the fishing day they caught Cod, Hake, Shrimp, Skate, Monk Fish, Haddock and Rose Fish. Much of the fish caught that afternoon was cleaned and ready for service that evening! One day he went out and observed scallop diving.

But in Sean's words-

Wednesday - "This was my favorite day. I worked in the fish cooler with the other employees. I had the opportunity to butcher fish I had never seen whole before. A master fish cutter, who had been butchering fish for over 15 years, taught me how to work with John Dory, Monk Fish, Loup de Mer, Lemon Sole, Casco Cod, and Hake."

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