You know him. You love him. He’s the one and only Pasta John!
Known campus-wide for his delicious DUC dishes, his fun-loving personality, and his awesome interactions with students, Pasta John definitely fits the title “Campus Celebrity”. Her Campus Emory was lucky enough to spend a few minutes with this famous faculty member in his favorite environment, none other than our very own DUC dining hall.
Here’s what this crazy cook had to say…
Her Campus Emory (HCE): How do you feel about being named this week’s Campus Celebrity?
Pasta John (PJ): To me, it’s an honor, because I really don’t consider myself a celebrity. Definitely an honor, especially since I just got interviewed last Tuesday by the Emory Wheel.
HCE: What is your official title?
PJ: Exhibition Cook
HCE: How long have you worked at Emory?
PJ: I came to Emory in 1992 and left in 1996. I did training to be a certified cook at Applebee’s for three years and then came back to Emory in 99. I’ve been here ever since.
HCE: Why did you first choose to become a cook?
PJ: I have 12 brothers and sisters. I was raised in a family where every Sunday we cooked big traditional meals. In my family, if you didn’t learn how to cook, sometimes you didn’t eat, because everyone was so busy. We had such a big family. Since then I’ve just loved cooking.
HCE: What other jobs have you had?
PJ: I currently cook at Rise n’ Dine. I’ve been there three years. I cook every Saturday.
HCE: What is your favorite part of your job?
PJ: Interacting with the students and cooking in front of them. Singing to them and all that good stuff. When you’re working at Applebee’s in the back, you can’t go out and interact with the customers.
HCE: Do you really know most of the students who regularly dine at the DUC?
PJ: Yes, I never forget names. Why didn’t I know you? You must not come here very often…
HCE: Where did the name Pasta John come from?
PJ: In 1999, I was running this pasta station, and we had three people who worked here who had the name John. I got tired of turning around anytime I heard “John”, so I told everyone to call me Pasta John, and it stuck ever since.
HCE: What is your favorite dish to serve at the DUC?
PJ: Chicken pasta alfredo.
HCE: What is your favorite kind of pasta? Sauce?
PJ: Shrimp scampi with a creamy, alfredo-type sauce and sautéed vegetables. Mmmm, I’m getting hungry already.
HCE: If you could cook any thing, what would it be?
PJ: I’m a grill person because I’m from Florida. I love grilling. Ribs are my specialty with my homemade bbq sauce.
HCE: Do you have anything else you’d like to share with the readers of Her Campus Emory?
PJ: Well, I love to party, but they already know that. I’m a God-fearing person and I truly believe in God, and that’s what gets me through a lot of the storms that I go through. I know it is a blessing that God has let me be around all of my students, because if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be at this job. I have no family around here, so Emory students are my family.