Confessions of Tony Geraci

Tony Geraci, the new executive director of the Memphis City Public Schools child nutrition program, loves barbecue, doesn’t understand cooking with foam and fears running out of time.

Q. What is the best part of your job?

The kids.

Q. What is the worst part of your job?

The adults. People have their own agendas.

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

My three kids. The other thing is being bashed by the holy trinity of dictum: Rush Limbaugh, Lou Dobbs and Glenn Beck.

Q. If you weren't in foodservice what would you be doing?

Something with sailboats or racecars.

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

That I would be six foot four and 195 pounds of strapping manliness.

Q. What is your greatest fear?

That I’m going to run out of time.

Q. Which living person do you most admire?

My wife. She puts up with me. She deals with my nonsense on a daily basis. 

Q. What is your favorite meal?

Sunday dinner with my 101-year-old Italian grandmother. She still cooks and it’s always awesome.

Q. What is your guilty pleasure?

My unholy love of barbecue. The things I would do for brisket and ribs. The first thing you have to do is admit you have problem.

Q. What will people always find in your refrigerator?

Some pesto concoction. I’ve been doing that since I was a little kid when my grandfather taught me how to make it.

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

Foam. I mean, really? I used to have European chefs throw pots and pans at me for not skimming the foam off the top of stockpots as they were cooking and now it’s the height of cuisine.

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

Live baby octopus. It was in Hong Kong and it was sticking to my throat going down.

Q. Are you a morning or evening person?

I’m a morning person and I am an evening animal. The fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning is the place where I live.