SLICE OF LIFE lindsay swinson
slice of life
Lindsay Swinson
age
22
education
Culinary student, El Centro
Community College, Dallas
externship
Central Market, Dallas
why there?
I wanted to go somewhere I would
enjoy while developing my skills
and learning something new, so I
applied for a cheesemonger position
at Central Market, and I got the
job. Working here is a culinarian’s
dream.
things I learned that I didn’t
know in culinary school
Working hands-on with more than
700 different cheeses, I’ve learned
about many new facets of the
food industry, from food-and-wine
pairing to taste profiles and the
history of cheeses.
career plans
I would like to branch out into food
journalism, writing and blogging. I’d
also like to teach nutrition, life skills,
English or culinary arts in a high
school one day, and eventually start
my own catering company.
11 am 12 pm
11:00 a.m.
My day, no matter what the hour, always
starts with the wailing of my alarm to
“Bohemian Rhapsody,” followed by a
hazelnut latte and time spent with my
feline companion, Toast. Sometimes my
externship calls on me in the wee hours
of the morning, and other
times, in the afternoon, so
this “routine” is anything
but. The gourmet grocery
world never sleeps.
12:00 p.m.
In my uniform of thermals, wool socks, chef
pants and a heavy fleece coat, I traipse into
the 35°F production room, “the cheese cave,”
to begin a long day’s work. Mornings are
dedicated to organizing the current 752
cheeses into an approachable catalog for our
customers, and pulling out any damaged or
out-of-date products. This helps us address
any ordering needs. The cheese department
has dozens of local and international
suppliers, allowing us to stock our shelves
with cheeses from Central Europe, Spain,
Italy, France, England, Ireland, Mexico, etc.
