Nate Murawski, BS ’26, Chef of All Trades

If you’ve ever taken a bite of baked ziti at a Wolfington Center gathering on Hawk Hill, you might be tasting the work of a MasterChef Junior alumnus. 

Nate Murawski, BS ’26 has already run circles around most in the culinary community. From working in the kitchens of some of Philadelphia’s most well-known restaurants to cooking under the watchful eye of Gordon Ramsay, his pre-college resumé goes on. Now, he has brought his talents to Hawk Hill as a student in Saint Joseph’s University’s food marketing program and as the bona fide chef for the weekly gatherings at the Wolfington Campus Ministry House. 

“It’s my favorite thing I do at St. Joe’s,” he says of the weekly meal prep. “I just get to cook for 40 or 50 people. All are welcome at Wolfington, and I try to perpetuate that by making good food. A good plate of food is like a big hug.” 

Born and raised in the vibrant multicultural community in South Philadelphia, Murawski has been cooking since he could hold a whisk. In a kitchen that was always filled with family members making lemon cookies, pierogies and classic Italian dishes, he saw the life he wanted.

“We were always sitting around the dinner table together,” Murawski says. “My whole family was always so good at cooking, and I was always good at eating, so I figured I wanted to do it for myself.”

The rest is history. Soon he was taken under the wing of Philadelphia chefs and working behind-the-scenes at his uncle’s restaurants in Wildwood, New Jersey. And then there was the month-long venture to Los Angeles for his television debut at 11 years old. 

“It was sort of cutthroat for some of these kids, but my friends on the show and I were just sort of thinking how cool and surreal it was the whole time,” he says. “Every week was a new challenge.” 

Food marketing felt like the natural next step for Murawski after getting a glimpse of the grueling schedule of restaurant life — 60 hour work weeks and no time off for holidays. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I love working in a kitchen, but I want to be with my family and down the line I want to have my own family,” he explains. “It’s just not a sustainable environment. I’d get burnt out super quickly.”

A career in food marketing offered him the chance to remain in the culinary world while utilizing his people skills. 

His dream is to become a corporate chef tasked with recipe development and demonstrations for a particular company using their products. He recently had the chance to talk to someone on the job at the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) conference in Chicago in November. 

“He gets to go around to these trade shows and cook for thousands of people that walk by the booth and sample the product,” Murawski says of the corporate chef. “It combines so many of the things I love.” 

In the spring, Murawski will be completing a co-op with The Hershey Company, during which he will work as a field sales territory leader analyzing sales data and building displays for the company. 

“I get to build relationships with store managers and I get to help customers understand Hershey and hopefully put our products in their cart,” he says. “You can’t be sad selling chocolate.” 

According to his professors, Murawski has been an asset to the food marketing program both in and out of the classroom. 

“Nate has a passion for food and his relentless curiosity makes him an exceptional food marketing student, blending creativity with a hunger for knowledge,” says Michael Marzano, MS, associate professor of food marketing. 

Marzano attended the PLMA conference with Murawski and noticed Murawski’s ease amongst the people they met. 

“Nate’s interactions with industry leaders and students from other universities created a fun learning experience for all,” Marzano says. 

Murawski, who also traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, in October for the International Fresh Produce Convention, is embracing every opportunity the program has to offer. 

“I get to travel for this stuff and get to represent such an awesome department and an awesome school,” he reflects. “I am so blessed to be a Hawk. It’s the greatest decision I have made so far.”