Home / Faculty / Jerry Lanuzza

Jerry Lanuzza

Associate Professor

JWU Faculty Since 1994

Contact Info

Email: jerry.lanuzza@jwu.edu
Phone: 980-598-1434
Campus: Charlotte

Jerry Lanuzza ’91 has worked at JWU for more than 25 years as a faculty member, department chair and associate dean. He earned his master’s degree in educational leadership from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, and bachelor’s degree in food service education and associate degree in culinary arts from the Johnson & Wales University. Before his career in education, Lanuzza was the executive chef at Two Rivers Country Club at Governor’s Land in Williamsburg, Virginia. He also worked at private clubs and hotels in Ohio, South Carolina and Georgia. Lanuzza served as department chair at the Norfolk Campus in 2002, until he relocated to Charlotte for the opening of the campus in 2004.

Lanuzza loves to travel and spend time with his wife and two French bulldogs, George and Weezy,

Education

M.S.Ed., Higher Education Administration,Old Dominion University
B.S., Food Service Education, Johnson & Wales University Providence
A.A.S., Culinary Arts, Johnson & Wales University Charleston

“Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” M. Forbes

Professional Affiliations

American Culinary Federation
Retail Bakers of America
Chaine de Rotisseurs
Southern Foodways Alliance
NC Restaurant and Lodging Association Hospitality Foundation Board of Trustees
NC Restaurant and Lodging Association
American Egg Board Foodservice Advisory Board

Q&A with Jerry

At JWU, education is not confined to the four walls of the classroom. You’re not going to spend four years with your nose buried in a book, learning theories you may never get a chance to apply — you’re going to get out there and apply them, be it through internships, group projects, leadership opportunities, competitions and more.

How Did You Get Started?

Like many chefs, it all started at home for me. My mother was a good cook and as a child I would stand on a kitchen chair and "help" her make meals. It progressed from there and I always wanted to be a chef.

In my associate's degree program, I helped many roommates and friends get through Cost Control class and the Facilities Planning course. During exams I remember that I had about 15-18 people in our house watching me work through costing programs on a make shift whiteboard. At my AS graduation, I was voted most likely to become an instructor at Johnson & Wales.

What Is Your Favorite Teaching Moment?

During the late 1990's, we had a student at the Norfolk, VA campus who was quite a challenge. He did not get along with many people. He had an "attitude problem" with most of his instructors, When he walked across the graduation stage, I am not sure who was happier, him or the faculty to see him move on. About two-three years later, he showed up at the campus and was waiting outside my lab/kitchen. I asked him why he was there. He said that he came to apologize for being such a handful and said that if he would have listened when he was in school, he would not have had such a hard time after graduation.

Why my favorite moment? We need to realize that even when you don't think you are getting through to a person, sometimes it just takes a while to sink in.

What Advice Do You Have For Incoming Freshmen?

1. Go to class - school come first before fun and sleeping in.
2. Get involved. Don't just go to class and go home. You will get out of your education what you put into it.
3. Go to class - even when you don't want to.
4. Do not procrastinate with your work...time moves faster in college than in did in high school.
5. GO TO CLASS EVERY DAY