Graduating to Higher Taste

Congratulations, graduates of the world! 

New Jersey is big on acknowledging graduates at every level, from der kinder to college and beyond. The state’s hefty property taxes are used partially to fund an above-average school system, and the state boasts some top-notch universities such as Rutgers and Princeton. June is a month of celebrating graduates: our future. Let’s take a look at education and how Chef Becky was educated. 

It All Started with the One Room Schoolhouses 

Hunterdon County, New Jersey, the birthplace of Chef Becky and her restaurant business Bex, has some of the most calendar-worthy preserved schoolhouses you’ll ever feast your eyes upon. In the 1700- and 1800s, schoolhouses were one room, with a teacher who had to be flexible enough to teach older and younger students at different levels simultaneously. The Bunnvale Library is a great example of a preserved schoolhouse turned library that keeps all the original architecture. Education is also just as important outside the classroom as within: Little Free Libraries, Corvid College models, and the School of Rock are all great ways to learn from the school of life. With cultural shifts, social unrest, and rising costs, it is hoped college is still somewhat fun for college students now. Sometimes you have to make your own fun amidst the ambition and competition and changing cultures. 

Chef Becky’s Education 

“Having grown up in rural New Jersey, my education was as much outdoors as it was indoors,” Chef Becky says, a Gen Xer. This generation is the last of the free-rangers who pre-date the digital age. “I grew up hunting, fishing, delivering milk on a milk route, breaking down wild game, getting thrown out of trees,” she laughs. The Chef defied expectations and funded her own education through an ambitious and rigorous process of finding scholarships. “I grew up working class,” she recounts, “and if you wanted to go to college you had to figure out a way to do it on your own. Thankfully I had a very supportive community: teachers, soccer coaches, neighbors, people who cared and nurtured my quietly competitive spirit.” 

Generation Chicken Strip

Generation Z, the successors to the Millennials, have grown up in a vastly different educational world: it’s wired, school safety is a priority, and the culture wars divide but also provide fodder for common ground and spirited debate. “Cooking shows are immensely popular with younger generations,” Chef Becky says. “And it’s great to see that. My only concern is that kitchen aspirants realize that it’s not all glamour and celebrity and driving around in a flashy convertible with frosted tips in your hair sampling food: it’s hard, hard work, stressful, rhythmically uneven, and even dangerous. But it’s a great way to combine the mental, emotional, and physical. Just remember that celebrity chefs have worked their way up from the ground floor. Cooking takes you to your limits and tests your mettle.”  

Bex to Rex-scue

Chef Becky has deep experience in making special events truly special. “Graduations are important,” she opines. “It acknowledges the ups and downs of an educational experience, the culmination of a journey that is rocky at times. I have made many cakes and desserts that are uniquely catered, literally, to the personality of the student graduation. My Executive Assistant, Chris, has a great eye for detail that makes our clients feel special and not just recipients of some prepackaged experience done without a lot of passion or gusto.” 

Bex is Here for You 

The new Bex Gallery space is a great place to host your event. We take care of everything from soup to nuts! Our cafe is also a great space for small groups in a casual, European-ambience setting. We have everything from a hearty pork roll sandwich to light fare, including grab & go items like fresh fruit, chips, and unique beverages. Happy eating, lifelong learners. Stay curious and stay nourished. The world awaits.