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A culinary student at Washington County Community College (WCCC) is about to have a world‑class experience, and the campus is abuzz with excitement at the opportunity. Ellis Dan Johnson has been selected to travel to France to cater to the American pavilion during the Cannes International Film Festival. The affair will have him rubbing elbows with students and chefs from the finest culinary schools in the world, including the American Culinary Institute, the Kiev International Culinary Academy and students from Japan and China.
"Everybody keeps telling me what a big deal this is," Johnson says with a humble smile. "I think it's still sinking in."
Given Johnson's background, it isn't too surprising that his excitement level has been kept in check. As a former professional sky‑diving instructor, he has completed 5,500 jumps in California, South Carolina, Florida and Maine in a career he began after retiring from the federal government at 60. During that time he was responsible for packing reserve parachutes, and he candidly estimates that his reserve chutes saved the lives of 16 people. After an injury on the job left him unable to continue jumping, the now 65‑year-old decided it was time to return to school. Describing Maine as both remote and beautiful, he moved to Oakfield in 2013 and soon began attending WCCC's culinary program. Instructor Diane Parsloe of Eastport suggested to Johnson that he apply for the position at Cannes, and he seized the opportunity.
Johnson will be leaving the weekend of May 9 and returning on the 25. During that time, he will be staying at a seaside resort, the Residence Cannes Verrerie. For the first few days, he expects to be touring the countryside and sampling local foods and wines in preparation for the festival. Per the recommendation of the program, he has purchased a tuxedo and had it custom fit, leading him to assume that he may have the opportunity to attend film screenings.
Johnson is looking forward to sampling the varied cuisines of the restaurants of Paris. "I'd like to try some real French baguettes. Also, since I'll be on the coast, I'll try the seafood." He says the French cheeses, butters and wines will be a treat to partake in.
Despite the clearly prestigious honor of being selected for the event, Johnson describes his background in cooking as "nothing special." He remembers hanging out in the kitchen a lot as a child with his mother, and the experience introduced him to baking. After developing a taste for Boston creme pie, he set about to create his own from scratch, and recalls it as a success. He didn't pursue the interest until he was 54 and working on a ship with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, which presented him with the opportunity to become a prep and secondary cook. He worked in the kitchens of several other ships after that and became increasingly fond of creating meals. Entering the culinary program at WCCC has taught Johnson many valuable tricks, including how to effectively create a roux to thicken fish chowder, which he describes as his favorite dish.
The most important aspect of the trip for Johnson is the potential for exposure. He is hopeful that the hosting chef -- the executive chef of the Hilton in Niagara Falls, Canada -- will be satisfied with his evident work ethic and commitment to quality and that it will lead to a job offer. Johnson emphasizes that once he gets back, "The applications will really start to go out." Ideally, he'd like to work in the Virgin Islands or somewhere of a similar tropical inclination, though he says he will miss the Maine summers if he moves.
Johnson is quick to dismiss his age as a limitation of any kind. "I've never seen that as a barrier. If I hadn't gotten hurt, I'd still be throwing people out of planes," he says with a laugh. "I intend to keep working until I'm at least 75." He hopes that his example will lead his fellow students to be more inclined to explore the world and take chances as they arise. |
