James Cullen

It’s important to nurture people’s interests and to be supportive. Kitchens can be fairly rough places. There’s a lot of pressure. So you have to find ways to take time to let people know that you’re interested in them and you want to see them grow professionally and personally.

-JAMES CULLEN

James Cullen may have started working in the service industry later than most, but his list of accomplishments is never ending. He has worked in a large variety of restaurants, including many fine dining establishments. He has created numerous dishes, and takes a lot of inspiration from his Italian heritage. Outside of the kitchen he spends his time writing and doing photography, both things he has been commissioned to do. Having attended Boston College, a Jesuit school, Cullen places concern in social justice issues, and spends his time trying to give back to the community. His light hearted humor and easygoingness is reflected in the interview, where he discusses the positives and the negatives of kitchen life.

Bibliographic citation for this interview:

Cullen, James. James Cullen. Interview by Katie Walters. Videorecording, transcript, November 12, 2018. Service Industry Collection. Documentary and Oral History Studio, Loyola University New Orleans. https://vimeo.com/305089670.

For more information about the Documentary and Oral History Studio’s interview collections and their use, please contact studio director Justin A. Nystrom. This interview and all related material including text and images are © 2018 Documentary and Oral History Studio, Loyola University New Orleans.