Food always brings people together. I have three sisters, and food has always been very central to our lives. Since I’m always thinking about food, and my boss Jen Dowd-Kim oversees both Arts and Events and Retail, it seemed like a seamless partnership to reintroduce Arts and Events and promote our campus tenants.

Jamie DeAraujo (she/her)
Events and Engagement Coordinator
‌Arts and Events, Campus Life Services

Jamie Eats 

In 2024, Campus Life Services Retail launched The Love Your Neighbor customer loyalty campaign to uplift on-campus retailers. The campaign features a new social component “Jamie Eats” where Events and Engagement Coordinator Jamie DeAraujo enjoys popular dishes from UCSF eateries and tries her hand at common tasks in the kitchen. We talked with her about how her love for food led to the fun new video series. (The first video featuring Publico launched last night.) 

Tell us about your role at UCSF. 

Sometimes, I have to pinch myself - my job is the absolute best! As an events and engagement coordinator, I help facilitate fun and engagement for UCSF staff, faculty, learners, and other constituents on campus. I get to show people that they're appreciated. Many people at UCSF have serious day-to-day workloads, so they need stress relief. I love building and uplifting our community in fun and meaningful ways. 

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Tell us about Jamie Eats. 

 I am a food human. It’s always the running joke at every job I’ve had – “what am I going to have for my next meal?” I was constantly snacking/eating. Food always brings people together. I have three sisters, and food has always been very central to our lives. Since I’m always thinking about food, and my boss Jen Dowd-Kim oversees both Arts and Events and Retail, it seemed like a seamless partnership to reintroduce Arts and Events and promote our campus tenants.

In the video series, I visit different retail locations and talk to the owners and staff about their delicious food. They’ve all been so lovely. I learn [LS1] why they wanted to open a restaurant at UCSF and why and how they make certain dishes. I even get to play in the kitchens. I've never worked in a restaurant setting and it’s such hard work! For our first video at Publico, I was trying to roll a burrito and it looked horrible. You think rolling a burrito would be a simple task, but it was super challenging! Trying to cut the gyro meat at SF Kebab was also much harder than I imagined. I have a new level of respect for food service! 

FAVORITE COOKIE JAR TREAT?

Extra, extra chocolate fudgy brownie

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