Alicia Maloney, SNS

What motivated you to choose your current career?

I have always loved food, and I started in the foodservice industry at a young age. I found the school nutrition segment by chance and fell in love with the people, the purpose and the community involved in making sure children are fed nutritious and delicious meals.

Did you eat school lunch as a kid? What was your favorite school meal?

My favorite foods at lunch were the same as kids today: pizza and crinkle-cut French fries.

What is your favorite global cuisine?

My go-to is Italian, especially any type of pasta and breaded chicken.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

I am still trying to figure that out. I travel a lot for work and am still searching for the perfect place to live. Italy sure sounds great though!

What TV show have you been binge-watching lately?

I love relaxing and laughing at the end of the day, so comedy is my go-to. I recently finished “Bad Monkey” and “Nobody Wants This.”

What is your favorite way to spend a day off?

Of course, every day off involves some type of housework, but other than that, I love relaxing with coffee and a good book, a baseball or soccer game with my son, a little bit of time in the gym and then playing board games with the family.

What is your all-time favorite movie or TV show?

It is very difficult to pick just one; I can always rewatch “League of Their Own,” “Ted Lasso” or “The Office.”

What famous person would you like to spend a day with?

Anthony Bourdain. He always had a way of finding the truth in everything he experienced. I would have loved for him to show me around one of his favorite towns for the best places to eat and drink. Hopefully some of his “living in the moment” mindset would rub off on me.

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

That it’s okay to sit back and let life happen—not every step of the way needs to be planned or designed.  I am still working on this now!

What has been your best vacation so far, and what is a   future bucket-list destination?

We just recently got back from France and had an amazing time exploring Paris and Nice. Our next big trip will be Italy, and we’re excited to experience the different cultures, cuisine and landscape in both the north and the south of the country.

If you could choose a magical or superpower, what would it be?

Super speed or teleportation. There is always so much to do and so little time!