Volunteer Spotlight: Eric Capozzoli

If you’ve attended one of our cooking demonstrations in the last few years, then you’ve met our local chef, Eric Capozzoli. Cooking with Eric, held bi-monthly, has become a highly popular program featuring a themed cooking demonstration and samples of the preparations.

We sat down with Eric recently to learn more about his cooking experience.

Can you share a little information about yourself?

I grew up in Bridgeville and moved to Carnegie around 10 years ago. I went to school at IUP for Clinical Laboratory Science and worked as a Lab technician for 7 years. I decided to go back to school for an advanced degree in 2010. I graduated in 2016 from the University of Pittsburgh with my master’s in nutrition. I currently work in oncology nutrition at Hillman Cancer Center.

Why did you become a dietitian?

I’ve always had a passion for food and cooking. When I decided to go back to school it was either going to be for nutrition or culinary school. I opted for the nutrition route because I also like the science aspect of food.

How did you get involved with the Friends of the Library?

My mom was involved in a cookbook club that was on a hiatus during the pandemic. She had asked me numerous times if I wanted to do a cooking class. I decided to do one with my co-worker and friend Angela. Everyone seemed to like the recipe ideas and tasting the food. That first class was 2 years ago, and my mom and I have been doing one every other month ever since.

What do you want people to take away from the cooking demonstrations?

I like to share recipes and different types of food that they might not usually be exposed to. I also like to bring in the health aspect to my cooking. I believe that all foods can fit into our diets. Most dietitians are not food police, we all love food!

Do you have a favorite dish and why?

This is a hard question for sure. I would have to say any Thai noodle dish. Specifically, glass noodles from a restaurant called Thai Cuisine in Bloomfield. It’s a very good dish and represents some nostalgia for me.

Any final words?

I hope that everyone enjoys the classes that we do. We try to put in work to make them educational and enjoyable at the same time. In the future I’m thinking about doing a nutrition education class, but I will gauge interest before we go forward with that.

Interested in attending a cooking demonstration? Inquire at the front desk!