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O&A // REMY AYESH
> Because we have questions. Celebrities have answers.
Remy Ayesh has done everything but play it safe when it comes to her career. After almost three years of college, she started over and switched majors. She took the five-year plan, but Remy graduated from KU in 2005 and promptly moved to New York City to become a food writer. Once in New York she realized she wanted food to be her "9 to 5" so she took out a loan and attended the French Culinary Institute.
After school, Remy got a call about working for a resort in Aspen — free ski package included. Within two weeks her bags were packed. She worked every job she could at the resort, from catering to breakfast service. But after a year and half in Colorado she craved life in the big city, so she packed up her bags again and took a job as the formaggiaio, or in-house cheese expert, at Spiaggio — the only four-star Italian restaurant in Chicago.
today she is a chef instructor in New York City at the French Culinary Institute where she originally cultivated her passion for cooking. Remy will soon be appearing on an episode of Chopped on the Food Network. Each episode features four talented chefs who face-off in a head-to-head cooking competition for a grand prize of $10,000. The 29-year-old took a moment to talk with Jayplay about her experiences and tell us how she has applied her KU education in the real world.
Your name is so unique. What ethnicity are you?
I'm half Lebanese and half Deep South. My mom's from Arkansas. My parents actually named me after Rémy Martin cognac.
You were recently invited to participate in the show Chopped. What was filming like?
The restaurant business is so unstable on a day-to-day basis that I thought I was totally ready for it. But then you throw in the TV element. I can't produce creatively when tripping over cables. It was mayhem. But I became best friends with the other contestants. The producers want better TV so they try to get you to talk bad about each other. We wouldn't do it.
I was in the business school and I had three and a half majors. In my third year of school I got to calculus 3 and I had the realization that there was no way I was ever going to use this in real-life. I had a mini meltdown. You think it's the end of the world if you change majors. But I dropped everything and switched.
You graduated from KU with degrees in journalism and Spanish, but like so many others you changed your majors along the way. Why?
I know, right? I really wanted to make my parents proud. My mom's in real estate and my dad's an attorney. There's no room for creativity there. Somewhere along the line I had to be true to myself.
You've reinvented yourself in the food industry so many times already. Your creativity is evident. Why were you in the business school?
How has journalism helped you in your career?
It made me very aware of marketability. Hard work doesn't get recognized on its own. You really have to build your own brand. Unfortunately you can't just be great; you have to put yourself out there. But I've also learned along the way that no matter how much you prepare for something, you just have to give it up to the universe. Do your best. It's really one of those old adages.
Do you use your Spanish now?
Oh my god. More than anything in my life. When I work in kitchens, I use my Spanish every single day. It helps me win over my staff, which is almost always Hispanic in the food industry. It's bizarre and fabulous all at the same time. When you major in a language you major in a whole culture.I love it.
If you could go back would you do anything differently?
Absolutely not. I recently had a student inquire about all the choices I've made in my career and he asked, "Was it worth it?" And I had this huge realization: yes, it was. Live your life with no regrets. I've done nothing but follow my heart. Not my brain, my heart.
Contributed photo
I was at a bar by myself watching the Big 12 Championship game and I was literally screaming at the TV. The bartender was so confused and I told him, "You don't understand KU basketball is my religion." But there are other Jayhawks in NYC. I'm thinking of forming a posse so we can watch games and curse at the TV together.
Are you still true to your Jayhawk roots?
From KU to Cuisine: Remy Ayesh, a KU alumnus, is an instructor at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. She will appear on the Food Network in an episode of Chopped.
Be sure to keep an eye out for Remy on May 24th when she'll compete on Chopped on the Food Network.
// BECKY HOWLETT
Within the next couple of months, students can expect to see construction beginning on 12th Street between Louisiana to Vermont streets because the Oread Neighborhood Lighting Project will finally be executed.
Additional funds that were needed from the Community Development Block Grant went through, so the final phases of the
According to Mark Tnel, assistant director of Public Works for the city of Lawrence, the project will be broken down into four phases. The first phase will include construction on the sidewalk of 12th Street between Louisiana and Vermont streets to comply with handicap standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Phase one has been contracted and workers are busy completing other projects before beginning
pleted pretty soon," Thiel said. "It's a matter of scheduling. My guess is they will wait until class is out and after graduation, so it's the least inconvenient to students."
Phase two, which includes 10-foot decorative light poles in South Park, will commence as soon as the materials are delivered.
Phases three and four include the installation of lights along 12th Street between Louisiana
and Tennessee streets and 12th and Kentucky streets. Both phases should be completed before the end of the year, Thiel said, with the possibility that phase four will continue until 2012.
The project will help increase safety for students and community members who travel along that pathway.
SEE LIGHT ON PAGE 3A
Oread Neighborhood Lighting Project
Students planning on buying a KU parking pass for the next school year could be in for an unpleasant surprise. The parking and transit department at the University is considering a parking fee increase around campus.
BY LAURA THOMAS lthomas@kansan.com
With the economic inflation and more students taking the bus, the University's parking and transit revenues are decreasing, leading it to make up for the lost revenue in some way.
"The parking and transit department is completely user funded," Donna Hultine, University director of parking and transit, said. "So we really rely on the revenue streams of parking permits, tickets, garage revenue and events."
Although nothing has been decided upon yet, the department has submitted different budgets to the provost's office. One of the budgets involving the red zone includes a percentage increase on various things like parking permits, fines,
SEE FEES ON PAGE 3A
Check out Kansan.com for more information about the potential increases in parking for the 2011 2012 school year.
CRIME|3A
Two campus crimes occur during break
Only cases of a stolen bicycle and some ill-placed graffiti stirred the spring break silence.
One more sentenced in ticket scandal
Former athletics department employees now face steep fines and years of jail time.
SOFTBALL | 8A
Jayhawks prepare to fight for first Big 12 victory against Huskers today
After recent losses to No. 11 Missouri and No. 8 Texas, and a split doubleheader against UKMC, Kansas turns its attention to Big 12 play in its upcoming game against No. 16 Nebraska.