Past Apprentices
Apprentices, Angels and Amazing Students
When the student is ready the teacher appears. I have always sought to be the best student I can, to drink deeply of the cup of knowledge, to pursue experiences that refine and define me continually. I love to learn and maybe that’s why I have been an effective teacher. I find its more of re-discovering or renewing my understanding of something that I share with people more than an actually curriculum. I have been blessed to have some gifted and dedicated students that have pushed me to learn and grow as much as I have helped them explore and discover themselves and the alternative worlds in which I walk.
An Apprentice is someone who finds someone who is highly skilled such as a master of a craft or skill and offers service in trade for education, room and board. In the old days after someone had learned the basic skill in trades such as carpentry, blacksmithing or ship building they would be apprenticed by their parents or apprentice themselves to a master to further their skill while not being burdened by the duties and responsibilities of society. Once they had completed their apprenticeship they would move on to becoming a Journeyman and travel using the skills they had gained to support themselves until they found a town in need of their service on an extended basis. Other journeymen returned to their home town after traveling and worked alongside their master until they eventually inherited his business.
Angels were those people who donated their time in service of the raw food movement and restaurant. These people received no pay, only free classes and free food and they continually gave their all to making the restaurant, retreats, and classes a huge success. Many of the angels came and went with the tide only offering their service for a short time others stayed on and eventually became co-workers, apprentices, and friends. Thank you to all who gave so kindly and willingly
There are a few students that have been exceptional in their studies and although they were not apprentices they deserve mention. These students took a pro active approach to their learning and sought out the teachings wherever they could find them. Many of these amazing students already had most of the pieces floating around in their minds and took an experience at the restaurant or some lengthy talk with me to unify their understanding and allow it to gel into a solidified concept.
I highly respect these students for their pursuit of higher knowledge and im honored to have shared some bits and pieces that may have helped them to grow.
There have been many people who’s lives I have influenced strongly and who have been transformed by their experiences with me into far more than I or they ever imagined. I honor everyone’s experiences as personal and claim no level of mastery nor do I say that I saved, healed, helped or taught anyone. I share what I can and all that I am and I continually seek to enhance the lives of others and evolve the consciousness of humanity. It is up to each individual to learn and grow I can provide opportunity and reflection yet each person takes what they uniquely need. I claim only to be a guide, someone who can hold good positive space for others on their paths while supporting them in their pursuit of knowledge and experience.
Below is a partial list of some crucial students, apprentices and angels and a basic story of their journey with Jeremy. If you have had an apprenticeship or extended study with Jeremy Safron and would like to be listed here please send us a basic bio and a general idea of the time period.
Courtney Sullivan- Courtney was my first apprentice. At the time I wouldn’t have considered myself a teacher, yet somehow I deeply influenced someone’s life by sharing my knowledge and understandings of life. After giving all the support I could to Courtney she went off into the world, our parting was not under the best circumstances. Many years later I received a letter from her explaining how everything I had taught her and shared with her had become her whole world and that some of the most important things in her life had been brought to her by me. When I received the letter I was overjoyed and looked back in hindsight and realized that she was my first apprentice.
Renée Loux- Love and learning can often intertwine. From the moment I met Renee I knew she had power and greatness within her. She was an artist going to UVM and we met when I was visiting Burlington. It was almost Thanksgiving and the beginning of winter break and she was planning on returning home to a town very close to where I lived in Woodstock. When she came home to NY she stepped into my world and both of us were forever changed. At the time I was running the catering business Loving Foods and planning a trip to Hawaii. She was considering not returing to school the next semester and instead going “on the road” traveling with the Grateful Dead (something I had done in my youth as well). Im a strong believer in personal experience being the best teacher and I encouraged her to find herself on the raod rather than sink into society thru schooling. She decided to travel and we agreed to have a limited run relationship and that she would depart in January. When the time came for her to leave she refused and wanted to stay. I had to push her away just so she would go out into her own world. Though she ended up leaving disgruntled at me she did go on to find herself. Meanwhile I went to Hawaii and came home preparing to cater a huge event. We happened to meet back up in Woodstock having both returned within the same week. She joined me as part of the catering team and then joined me in Hawaii as my assistant at the retreat center. While living at Mana Lea Gardens (the retreat center) we created many fabulous dished together and I shared with her all I could of my knowledge of Raw Food, herbology, fruits and organic farming and yoga. When we decided to open the restaurant Renées beautiful food and incredible artwork really helped propel our business. She designed our logo and even drew all the images for the recipe book. When I went on to take over RAW in San Francisco from Juliano, Renée really came into her own. All of a sudden she was thown in the hot seat and she did a great job surprising even herself im sure. Renée ran the restaurant, catering business, and classes all by herself and truly came into her power. Ever since then she has gone far beyond the average in creating some of the most delicious and creative dishes imaginable. Renee currenly has 3 books published and is coming out with a television show in 2009. Bless you Renee, your and inspiration to us all. (and possibly the best student I ever had.)
Christopher “Shawa” Abrahms- When we first began building the restaurant we needed help and we were using the restaurant in progress to run our Loving Foods catering jobs out of. Gabriel an old friend from New York brought me Shawa who he had just met and felt would be great at washing dishes or helping get the restaurant build. We traded Shawa a place to stay for his help. Previously to working for us he had helped run a newsletter and had computer skills. He helped form the Raw Truth Press and birthed the Living Planet Newsletter. Give Thanks Shawa.
Christopher Fishkin aka Friar Joseph –When Renée and I had first opened the Raw Experience we didn’t have much help nor the cash to pay anyone. One day a charming fellow walked in the door and offered to help us in trade for food. I could tell right away that he wanted more than a job, he wanted to be part of something. Christopher had lived in a yogic ashram and knew how to work well with others. I always remember that he found a way to relate to everyone. The customers loved him and he worked hard and really helped us get things off the ground. Soon we began to thrive and Christopher became our first employee. We trained him as a chef yet he always preferred working with people, so we made him the manager. Years after we closed the doors of the Raw Exp Christopher became a Franciscan Monk. He currently teaches and councils troubled children in Hawaii.
Suzie Bohannon – In the second year of the RAW Experience a team came together. We had Christopher and Shawa and things were beginning to take off. The newsletter needed more focus and Renee needed a break from being the chef every day. We were looking for someone who could really be a part of a bigger picture. We put out an ad and took some applications. To this day I still remember Suzie’s resume, it wasn’t just good, it was fantastic. She had class and style, brains and a no nonsense attitude and both Renee and I trusted her right away. She became our student, friend and co-worker. Suzie didn’t just take in what we were teaching she immersed herself in it. Suzie was driven, she studied and practiced and honed her skills. Eventually Suzie could make pies better than even Reneé and prep everything for the restaurant faster than me. She was running the newsletter and the kitchen and helping us set up workshops. Suzie was the backbone of the Raw Experience she made it all flow. Suzie is currently catering in Los Angeles and has a book forthcoming.
Brian Lucas
Joel Gershon
Ethan Schatz
Aria Alpert
Lesa Carlson
Gillian Rosenthal
Chris Iverson
Daniel Bronstein
Akenaton