By Claudia Todd-Young
- File photo
“Amherst’s gain is Berthoud’s loss,” said a local businessman as he spoke of Jeremy Roush’s upcoming move to Massachusetts.
Roush has accepted the position of executive chef at Amherst College in Amherst, Mass., about 85 miles from Boston. The college is situated on about 1,000 acres and has about 1,600 students.
“As director of the culinary department, my main emphasis will be to elevate the student dining program. That will include involving locally raised and grown food and use many natural and/or organic ingredients. We will use the field-to-table concept,” Roush said as he explained how they will need to incorporate local farmers’ markets and suppliers.
Roush explained that Amherst has a wide variety of students from many cultures and countries. That explains why it is no longer as easy for colleges to offer the comfort foods of only macaroni and cheese and meatloaf in order to help the students feel at home.
The food department prepares an average of approximately 3,500 meals per day in Valentine Hall. “Valentine has always been an area that is at the center of the community. It is much more than the dining hall. This is a place where people meet to eat, relax, study and congregate,” Roush said.
“It is really difficult to leave Berthoud. Both Debbie and I are extremely grateful to the people who supported us along the way. There are too many people to thank individually. We are so thankful for the good people of this area. It has been wonderful to see old friends again and to meet so many new ones. We will definitely be back to visit,” Roush said as he expressed his thoughts on leaving Berthoud.
“We don’t want them to leave,” Gary Wamsley said as he expressed his sadness at Roush’s departure. “They will be so missed.”
Family and friends will be saying “goodbye” to Roush this Thursday evening in Berthoud Town Park. The bring-your-own-appetizer activities begin at 5 p.m. If you’d like to join the festivities, please bring your favorite appetizer or chips and come prepared to wish Roush well as he embarks on his new career at Amherst College.
When: Thursday, August 26
Where: Berthoud Town Park
When: 5 p.m.