Confessions of Eric Goldstein

Eric Goldstein, chief executive of The Office of School Support Services for the New York City Department of Education, loves good bread, fears falling and would have dinner with President Obama.

Q. What is the best part of your job?

Knowing that I am feeding kids well and helping them along in their education. I feel really good about that.

Q. What is the worst part of your job?

A lot of politics.

Q. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

I am proud that we have been able to feed more kids, feed them well and do so in a financially responsible manner. Not bad for government!

Q. What is the most unusual foodservice/catering request you have ever received?

Lobster tails. We’re in the school food business for public schools. We don’t do lobster tails. I told them they had the wrong address.

Q. Which talent would you most like to have?

I wish I could sing well.

Q. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Skinnier. Most certainly.

Q. What is your greatest fear?

Falling. Or more specifically, landing after falling.

Q. Which living person do you most admire?

Michael Bloomberg.

Q. What is your favorite meal?

Eggplant parmigiana.

Q. What is your guilty pleasure?

I love really good bread.

Q. What will people always find in your refrigerator?

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Hot sauce.

Q. What food fad do you wish had never started?

Fried everything.

Q. What is the weirdest food you have ever eaten?

Kangaroo on a trip to Australia.

Q. What do you consider to be the most overrated foodservice trend?

Quantity.

Q. Read the book or see the movie?

Read the book.

Q. Are you a morning or evening person?

Evening.

Q. What are your words to live by?

Everything in life is easy—until you have to do it yourself.