Lift - Fall 2011 - (Page 8)

F l i g ht Path by r e b e c ca d o u g l as A 5-Star PhilanthroPiSt Surya ramjali (’05, PC) uses his gourmet cooking skills to boost educational opportunities for children in his native Nepal erospace engineer by day, personal chef by night, Surya Ramjali (’05, PC) has a definite Superman/Clark Kent vibe about him. Because he designs aircraft systems in Cessna’s new product development department, Ramjali can’t divulge much about his current assignments. He can, however, offer details about his philanthropic efforts after work. Earlier this year, Ramjali began moonlighting as the One Night Chef, serving dishes such as lamb panang, portobello risotto and banana flambé. For a modest fee (from $30 for one person to $60 for four), he cooks three-course gourmet meals in the comfort of clients’ homes, then donates all gratuities he receives to charity. His first benefactor is the only school in Wakhet, Nepal, the small village where he was born. Currently, the school ends at sixth grade, but Ramjali hopes to help extend its curriculum to include high school courses. Ramjali started attending boarding school in Katmandu at age 5 and enrolled at Embry-Riddle after that, so he highly values the education his parents provided him. Now, he wants to improve local options for other Nepalese children. “It’s a big deal to graduate 10th grade there,” he says, noting that the village lacked even dirt roads until 2006. “I was very fortunate to have a good education; I know how important it is. One Night Chef is a great opportunity to support young, deserving kids. They shouldn’t have to travel to another village for higher education.” $1,500 and Counting After just 11 bookings, Ramjali raised more than $1,500 for the school, an amount he says will go a long way toward improvements. He also garnered a perfect record of five-star ratings from clients. “The food was nothing short of fantastic!” wrote one; “… some of the best I have ever tasted,” said another. Beyond the quality of the cuisine, the idea of enjoying gourmet food at home while supporting a charitable cause has proved compelling. With his initial $1,500 goal already met, Ramjali has no plans to retire his cutlery and cookware. 8 LIFT Fall 2011 www.ERAUALUmnI.oRg Photos by Surya Ramjali and Bianca Tyler http://WWW.ERAUALUMNI.ORG

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Lift - Fall 2011

Lift - Fall 2011
Table of contents
Letter from the President
Chatter
Partnership expands high-performance vehicle research
Leading ladies
5-Star Philanthropist
Birds of a feather
We made it happen in 2011!
A winning combination
Blue sky landing
Alumni news
Class notes

Lift - Fall 2011