Faces of GNBVT- Jason Cieto

Meet Jason Cieto, a Culinary Arts instructor at GNBVT. Mr. Cieto has been interested in the Culinary field since he was young; working in his grandparent’s restaurant is really what started it all. Mr. Cieto says that he has never worked in another field since he was 13. In fact, Mr. Cieto came to GNBVT and joined the Culinary Arts program as a high school student, but according to his yearbook entry, he was actually interested in the medical field. After high school, Mr. Cieto attended Johnson & Wales University and left with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management Degree. 

While working in the restaurant industry, he noticed a shortage of people interested in Culinary which pushed him to try and become an inspiration for young chefs across Bristol County. Cieto credits his undying passion to the ever-changing nature of the culinary industry. Trends come and go, techniques and ingredients are improved, but people still look for more. 

There is never a dull moment in a chef’s world and one of his favorite aspects of being a culinary instructor is when he sees former students pursuing a career in the culinary field. Being an instructor is extremely fulfilling, but that does not discredit that there are sometimes challenges. Sometimes lessons don’t go as planned, but he has learned that shifting gears and being adaptable is what makes a classroom, and a kitchen run. 

His favorite foods to cook are mainly Italian, and he believes that pizza is the easiest thing to make. Two of his biggest Culinary inspirations are the restaurateurs Danny Meyer and Thomas Keller. In his spare time, Mr. Cieto is quite the camper. He spends a lot of vacation time traveling in his RV. Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech is very fortunate to have a passionate instructor like Mr. Cieto as part of our school community!

Article and Picture by: Philip Bousquet, Senior Media Technology