Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Rice.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Cindy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am an epidemiologist with a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Univ. of Mass, Amherst. After working as a researcher for years at U. Mass Medical School, I started a family, and took several years off from work to raise my 3 sons. Unable to return to the academic world after a 7 year break, I started a catering business, based in Weymouth, called Dining in the Light. Out of this company, I founded a brownie manufacturing business (International Brownie) and produced lines of gourmet brownies, sold them internationally, wholesale, retail and mail order. I sold International Brownie after 5 years, and opened a small restaurant in 2000, called Dining in the Light cafe, 2 corporate cafes in Braintree, actually , serving breakfast and lunch and catering services to corporate office buildings.
I had to take a food safety course, and become certified in food safety in order to satisfy MA regulations, and as a result of that, began teaching the Food Manager Certification course myself. I started with 2 classes/ month in Braintree, MA which is where my office is located, and have grown to training 2000 persons per year, all over the country.
I have returned to my public health roots, so to speak, achieving several public health certifications in the last 10 years… Registered Sanitarian, Certified Professional in Food Safety, and am now a food safety expert for a number of national companies, providing food safety expertise to Ecolab and their national clients, and Jersey Mike’s Franchises, to name a few. I also write food safety articles for several Trade publications, including the Griffin Report and the Shelby report, as well as Food Safety Solutions. I also am a food safety consultant, assisting restaurants and food manufacturers operate using safe procedures and maintaining compliance with FDA and state food safety regulations
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Getting back to work after taking some time off with my family was difficult, and stressful. I became divorced during that period as well, and not having a clear path ahead of me was a struggle emotionally. Entering the field of foodservice was a passion of mine, but also takes a toll physically. Once I figured out that the restaurant/catering/food production business was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life (after 10 years), I found a niche (food safety education) and pursued this new career. I now speak regularly at national conferences and am respected as a food safety specialist, and love what I do. But there was uncertainty for a while.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Eastern Food Safety is a food safety education and consulting company. We train foodservice workers to practice safe food handling in their food establishments, and have grown to one of the largest food safety education companies in the Northeast since its inception in 2002. We also provide education and consulting to health departments, serve on a number of food safety committees and provide food safety information to consumers. We pride ourselves in delivering food safety information to our clients in a most enjoyable way. We take scientific and regulatory information required for restaurants to know, (which can normally be very dull) and deliver it with a sense of humor, in a user friendly way, and help prepare students for their certification exam with joy. Really. Our customer service is exceptional- because making sure that restaurants serve safe food is critical. We go above and beyond to educate in an effective way, so that the foods we all enjoy when eating out, are safe.
What were you like growing up?
I am the oldest of 5 girls, was quiet and shy, grew up as part of a large Armenian family in Weymouth MA. I learned to cook from my mother, and hence, my passion for food. I played the guitar all through high school and college, performing in coffee houses and a college acapello group at Bates College, in Lewiston ME.
Still love to cook but am thrilled that I can combine my love of culinary with public health, and keeping foods safe for everyone.
I also wrote a series of children’s books with messages about safe and healthy eating for families. They are called Green Apple Tales there are 10 storybooks in the series, with the most adorable characters, that teach children and their parents how to stay safe in the kitchen (wash hands, clean equipment, keep foods refrigerated, cook them properly, etc).
Contact Info:
- Website: www.easternfoodsafety.com www.greenappletales.com
- Phone: 781-356-1467
- Email: info@easternfoodsafety.com
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