Anthony Kyriakides a master’s student in the nutrition and dietetics program. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in dietetics and applied nutrition from Johnson & Wales University.
When he’s not studying, Anthony, who has worked at many resorts as a banquet cook in many resorts, says he loves hosting dinner parties where he can share food that he cooks with others. He is currently working at a health and wellness resort and spa where is responsibilities include recipe development and culinary nutrition demos.
"Recently, I did my first chefs table, which is when you cook a four course meal in front of guests, by myself," he says. "The theme was A Sustainable Summer Soirée."
COLSA: What do you love about the MSDI program?
Anthony Kyriakides:. I love how deep nutrition science actually goes. Learning about micronutrients and how they function is so interesting!
COLSA: Why did you choose UNH?
Anthony: I chose UNH for its largely sustainable campus. Sustainability is something I am very passionate about especially regarding food and a healthy lifestyle.
COLSA: How would you describe the in-person learning experience and its impact on the quality of your education?
Anthony: The in-person learning experience is very discussion oriented. Our small cohort often uses discussions and small presentations to share our knowledge and experiences. It creates a good environment for our collective intelligence to flourish.
COLSA: How have the teaching, training, and one-on-one mentoring by faculty benefited you?
Anthony: Questions are constantly popping into my head, and I need to ask them before I forget. The nutrition faculty are amazing because they happily answer any questions I have and are always willing to sit down and talk through my questions with me — even when I pop into their office unannounced.
COLSA: How has your experience been customized based on your career goals?
Anthony: As a part of our dietetic internship, we are required to participate in a community rotation. These rotations are curated and selected based on our interests and strengths. I will be working with UNH Athletics and the NH Food Bank.
COLSA: What do you plan to do with your degree?
Anthony: Completing my MSDI is another step toward my goal of becoming a Registered Dietitian (RD). After I pass my RD exam, I plan to then pursue a career as a chef dietitian.
COLSA: What do you wish your colleagues/friends/family knew about your work?
Anthony: I wish my friends and family would understand that we go to school for nutrition and dietetics and that the social media influencers whom they follow often lack any sort of education.
COLSA: What are you most proud of?
Anthony: I took a fine dining lab as an undergrad during which my group put together a 6-course menu and served it to twenty guests. We even made sure to use all our food waste to create an additional course on our menu. In that class, I created one of the most refined dishes of my career, a mushroom tea with pickled pink oyster mushrooms, honey, ginger fluid gel, baby leeks, curly green onions, and soy-cured egg yolks.
COLSA: What do you plan to do with your degree?
Anthony: I plan on becoming a registered dietitian. From there, I want to expand upon my culinary experience and become a chef RD and teach culinary nutrition in a high school or college setting.
