MEMBER SPOTLIGHT FACTORY: Jason Wange, Cal-Mil - Dec/Jan 2023-2024

Meet Jason Wange, Cal-Mil:
Learn. Collaborate. Network. 

Name: Jason Wange
Company: Cal-Mil
Title: Executive Director of Sales 
Years in "The Biz": 15
Interviewed by: Kate Pennington, Business Development Manager, Greenwald Sales, LLC

A valued member of MAFSI, Jason Wange, Cal-Mil, is .... 

1. What's your favorite non-work activity, and why?
   
   For the past year or so, I’ve really loved taking walks. I get outside for a walk almost every day, either locally just around our neighborhood if I’m working from home or into the foothills of Colorado on weekends with our family or sometimes, just me and Molly-the-Dog.
   
   
   
2. Guilty Pleasure: What can you not live without?  (e.g, Reality TV, specific junk foods, 80’s hair bands, etc.)
   
   Right now, my guilty pleasure is my wife, Shannon’s, banana bread (she puts in chocolate chips and holy smokes…). This banana bread has sort of become a thing locally, with many local high school and middle school kids (the ages of our kids) stopping by the house at various times during the week asking if they can grab a slice. 😊
   
   
   
3. If you could eat anywhere for your next meal, where would it be and why?
   
   
   I can’t wait to eat at Bludorn in Houston, TX. This fall I was at a conference and got to spend some time with Chef Aaron Bludorn. Chef Aaron has an incredible background (he trained under Danielle Boulud in NYC) and he’s now navigating pouring his creativity into multiple restaurants in the Houston area, and as a husband and father to his young kiddos.
   
   
   
4. What’s one piece of advice you have for a young person in the industry?
   
   Level Up. Go find people who are where you want to be and learn from them. Buy them coffee or lunch. Pick their brains on their career journey (and life journey for that matter). When we spend time with those we respect, we learn their habits, how they might think differently than we do or witness how they treat others. If we’re willing to incorporate those learned traits into our own journey, we can create an incredible foundation for growth.
   
   
5. What is your favorite foodservice trend that you see right now?
   
   I love seeing more restaurants doing Live-Fire Cooking. There’s something so simple (fire + meat… cook!) and the removal of technology that makes me appreciate the meal so much more. There’s a restaurant in Oceanside, CA (where Cal-Mil is located) where we love to go as a team or bring customers called, Campfire. In addition to an incredible open kitchen where they are cooking over coals, they even bring hot coals to the table, where you roast marshmallows for the most incredible smores dish.
   
   
   
6. What’s your favorite part of being a MAFSI member?
   
   

   MAFSI is made up of organizations eager to learn and eager to offer guidance to anyone looking to learn (two qualities I really appreciate in people and companies). So, I can come with any question, curiosity or challenge and there are endless folks willing to share their stories, experiences, and wisdom.

7. What is your favorite book?
   
   

   Success Principles by Jack Canfield. When I read this book at the age of 31, it changed my life

8. Are you a good cook? If so, what's your best dish?
   
   Not really, but in seasons where I’m home for a good stretch, I love getting in the kitchen. My best dish (which I learned from my uncle) is spaghetti with homemade meatballs (½ ground beef, ½ Italian sausage and various spices). Smoke / Grill them for a bit, then throw them in the crockpot with your sauce for 6 hours or so for an awesome meal.

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