University’s Dietitian Enjoys Food, Foliage, and Fall

The lifeblood of the University of New Haven are the faculty and staff members who dedicate their lives to helping our students reach their goals. Periodically, we’ll introduce you to a member of the staff so you can learn more about them – beyond their day-to-day work.

Next up is Samantha Zajac ’21 M.S., RDN, CDN, the University’s campus dietitian and “foodie” who appreciates raw oysters and properly prepared mushrooms.

Renee Chmiel: What did you do over the summer?
Samantha Zajac: Lots and lots of wedding planning! Outside of that, my fiancé and I enjoy going for walks or other adventures with our two dogs Nova and Ember! Nova is our 4-year-old black lab rescue, and Ember is our 9-month-old German shepherd puppy. During the warmer months, I enjoy tending to my garden and cooking with the various herbs and vegetables that we grow. One of my favorite ways to relax is by being by the water or shoreline. Growing up, my family had a boat, and we would go on trips or relax by the water every weekend during the summer months. For trips, I love adventuring in nature and exploring different areas of the Connecticut shoreline, Rhode Island, or Cape Cod, and these have become Pete’s and my favorite places to visit. As a foodie, I love fresh seafood! Anytime we are out by the shoreline a stop at a raw bar is a must!

RC: What is your favorite dish to cook?
SZ: I wouldn’t say that I have a favorite dish to cook, but more of a favorite way to cook. I am a foodie first and I went to culinary school, so picking just one favorite dish is so hard! One ingredient I love adding to any dish is mushrooms. I especially enjoy roasting them in a cast iron pan and turning roasted mushrooms into a sauce that pairs well with any protein. The key to good flavor in any dish is pan roasting and cooking within a cast-iron pan, and don’t forget the garlic!

RC: Tell us about your upcoming wedding!
SZ: Peter and I are getting married on September 22, 2023, at Millpond Gatherings in Northford, Conn. We are so excited to get married on the beautiful grounds during our favorite fall season. All food is farm-to-table and supports local agriculture from the area. We can’t wait to be surrounded by our closest family and friends for this special day. Peter and I chose this date specifically because it is the anniversary of the beginning of our relationship, but, also, the day we got engaged in 2021 (nearly two years ago!). This year we will be together five years.

After the wedding, we will be taking a mini local trip for the weekend before taking our weeklong honeymoon later in November to Aruba. We both have never been, but we’ve heard it is extremely gorgeous, and we can’t wait to experience the warm weather and beautiful bodies of water.

RC: How did you meet Peter?
SZ: My fiancé Peter and I met while at a car show in our hometown of Meriden. Both of us grew up around classic cars and enjoy building race cars as well going to car shows. After that, we went on a few dates, and the rest is history! We dated throughout my final year as an undergrad and even relocated to Alabama for internships at Auburn University. We adopted Nova while we were there, so we’ll always have piece of the South with us when we reflect on our memories.

RC: What are three fun facts about you?
SZ: I am obsessed with gardening, although I am learning as I go. When I was in college, I used to grow herbs through hydroponic mason jars in my college dorm. I love learning how to start seedlings in the ground and different applications. I have mainly began growing small produce and herb varieties, but I eventually would like to expand to larger produce crops and various flower crops as well as dabble in learning how to can and preserve foods to savor them all year long.

Before becoming a registered dietitian, I was in school for culinary arts, and I completed six years of culinary school. Some of those years I was able to complete nutrition and culinary courses combined. Food and cooking are at the heart of what I do and enables me to connect with people so much more when meeting for nutrition and overall wellness.

I love being out in nature! During the winter months, my happiness is snowboarding, snowmobiling, ice skating, or even building a snowman with my nieces or nephews. Fall is my overall favorite season with all the cozy meals, spooky décor, and beautiful vibrant color foliage that New England offers. Plus, there are so many things to-do in the fall months in both the New Haven area and greater New England!

RC: What’s the best gift you’ve ever given someone?
SZ: The best gift I have ever given would probably be the overall experience of this past Christmas. Peter has a large family, compared to me (an only child), and we are currently blessed with ten nieces and nephews. This past Christmas season we all gathered to celebrate around Christmas to give gifts. The whole family was obsessed with the Grinch that year and the older nieces helped me in making their shirts. They came out so great, and we gave them out as soon as everyone arrived! The whole family loved the shirts, especially the little kids. This was one of those gifts that touched everyone’s heart and made Christmas even more special and created memories for years to come.

RC: What do you enjoy the most about working at the University of New Haven?
SZ: I enjoy working with the students, whether it is supporting new students within the dining halls or working with students to understand the importance of nutrition and how that can relate to an individual's overall health and wellness. I have also had the opportunity to collaborate with so many great offices and organizations over the past few years. The members of our campus community are like no other! It has been great collaborating with different departments, faculty, and staff members to help share positive nutrition information and to support the campus community through food and nutrition.

Being an alum of the University also makes me proud to work here and support our Chargers in many ways – especially through food and nutrition. Completing my dietetic internship here and earning a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University makes working here even more special.

Each year Dining Services collaborates with the Graduate students in the Dietetics program to support their internship experience right here on campus. As a 2020 graduate of the previous dietetic internship model, I would have completed my food service rotation on-ground with Dining Services, too!

Now, each spring semester, as the Registered Dietitian with Dining Services, I am fortunate enough to provide direct oversight for the food service rotations that the interns complete. As a preceptor for the dietetic interns, I coordinate with campus dining’s various departments and nutrition faculty to support and educate graduate dietetic students to gain hands-on knowledge and meet required competencies for future dietitians!

This collaboration with the Nutrition department within the School of Health Sciences is a rewarding opportunity to give back to one of the programs that prepared me for my career and current successes. Each internship cohort is exciting to work with. Through my role, I can show each prospective dietitian an area of dietetics that is not often covered, bringing awareness and opportunity for more nutrition professionals in the campus dining space.