Chefs Can Be Musical, Too
While the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY is renowned for its cuisine-centered curriculum, the interests of its student body are just as diverse as any liberal arts institute. Chefs need creative outlets too, despite their study of an inherently imaginative craft.
In November 2018, Jaylen Downer, Christian Tumscitz, and Jakarri Johnson, all current students at the CIA, founded The Savory Sounds — the institute’s first musical club.
Downer, who currently serves as president of the new organization, had noticed that “when it comes to extracurricular activities and clubs, the vast majority of them are food related.” He realized that his peers had talents and interests outside of the kitchen and were starving for a unique way to express themselves.
“I want to create a space for musicians and music lovers, while paving the road for others to follow suit in creating their own clubs,” said Downer.
“I knew I wanted to create a music club since I got accepted into the CIA,” said Downer. At his own orientation, he made those ambitions clear by performing an original song during a karaoke event.
Still in its infancy, The Savory Sounds had a successful spring semester. The group hosted two events on campus. The first was an open mic night, a casual event where students could perform songs of any genre. The Savory Sounds’ faculty advisor even brought his own band to the event to perform. “Months later, we hosted a small-scale concert where club members performed pieces of their choosing,” said Downer.
The goal with the first semester of the Savory Sounds was the establish themselves within their school’s community and just generally get their name out there.
Downer’s vision and goals for the club are to become “a staple in the Culinary Arts of America club ecosystem. I hope it is just one of the many arts clubs that other students will have created and maintained throughout the years.” Downer plans to accomplish his goal by placing himself in positions of leadership in other sectors of the school in order to have the resources to really grow his club.
