Jim had a way of making you feel like you were part of an ever-running inside joke, conspiring with you to have a good time. Not that he was exclusive; he just made all of his students (and I think and hope, his friends) feel special. I can only think that it came from a bone-deep generosity, a famously good will toward his fellows. I've never met anyone else with that kind of heart - and I doubt I will again. EATS changed me, in big and small ways, and Jim became a guiding light for a life well and truly lived. To Ellie and to Sam, I am so sorry for your loss. Thinking of you both and wishing you peace.Hope you're enjoying the perfect negroni in heaven, Jim <3  We miss you down here!

It was so special to be part of EATS 43, something that Jim put his heart and soul into. As others have said, he is an icon and like no one I have ever met or will meet again. I am grateful we got to cross paths and I got to learn from him for a semester. I will never forget that he celebrated his and Ellie's birthdays by coming to my acapella group's fall concert with Sam and Ramsey (he made sure to tell me he wouldn't bring bells because they would be too noisy). He was one of the most generous people I've ever met-with his time, food, love, knowledge, and stories. He will be so missed.

EATS XXVI changed my life. Jim is an icon and a legend, and I am so saddened to hear that he is no longer with us. I am thinking of Ellie, his family, Sam, and all my peers as we mourn and celebrate his incredible life. I will always remember Jim's passion, rigor, and generosity. His style and zeal for life were unmatched, and still, we all strived to meet the demands of his coursework. I always felt seen, cheered on and valued in his company. I am profoundly indebted to Jim because not only did I indulge wildly in his class, but EATS helped me shape a lifelong philosophy around food, and now, I have the pleasure of sharing so much of what I learned with my daughter, Gemma. It is with so much gratitude and heartfelt condolences that I thank Jim and his incredible team for every shared memory, lasting friendship, and bite along the way. 

As a faculty member in the UNC Nutrition Department, I had heard about the Legendary Eats 101 course and was delighted to be welcomed into the Eats community - lectures and discussions with amazing and highly engaged students, dinners with the students and local farmer colleagues, and more dinners and great discussions at Jim and Ellie's warm and welcoming home. Jim had a vision and he embraced it with wit, wisdom and whimsy (to quote long time colleague, Sam). Jim, Ellie and I were on the early Saturday morning circuit - Farmers Market and then Weaver Street. We would often stop and chat at both places with Jim's soft voice and intriguing new ideas making you want to hang on every word.  Jim will be dearly missed but he has inspired hundreds of students, faculty, and farmers to continue his good work, which I know Ellie and Sam will carry on as well!

Jim had such a profound ability to both bring people together and to channel gratitude into the communities he built.

We didn’t really know Jim, apart from a graduation party, but we do know what he and Ellie did for our daughter— and so many others. And for that, we’re eternally grateful. Such kind and open-hearted people! Godspeed, Jim. You made a difference.

I was lucky enough to run into Jim and Ellie "in the wild" last year. (Well, at Mercato in Carrboro.) I quickly identified an opportunity to surprise them with bill of $0 as a very small token of gratitude for all the amazing food, community, and unbridled love of food they both helped instill in me and my Eats 101 cohort 20 years ago. I was excited to reconnect but knew if I blew my cover too early that they would never let me do it. I went to the bar to try to snag the bill...and guess what? Someone else beat me to it! Another former student had already paid for Ellie and Jim's meal as their own token of thanks. On  the same night?! I laughed out loud. And it warmed my heart to know that Jim's former students were actually "fighting" over the opportunity to show their love and appreciation. I went to their table, told them both what had happened, we laughed together, and then we got to catch up on so many things (including how much better he was feeling, how happy he was to be out to dinner with Ellie, his daughter and granddaughter, and his entire Eats family). I'll forever treasure that recent moment of life and laughter with Jim and Ellie both, and my memories of an amazing semester all those years ago. I can't make it to Duke Chapel tomorrow, but will certainly raise a glass of chilled champagne in his honor very soon! Sending all the love and light to you, Ellie, and to Jim's entire family (food and non-food related)!

I remember that Jim's nitial proposal for what became Eats 101 met with some administrative skepticism: "What the hell -- are we going to train chefs?" But Jim persisted and eventually got his course, which immediately attracted amazing students, the kind every college teacher dreams of.  It wasn't long before some of those who'd questioned the idea were bragging that UNC had pioneered culinary studies -- which indeed it had, but all thanks to Jim's energy, enthusiasm, and academic bona fides.

   Jim was one of a kind. I will miss him. 

I am so sorry. My sympathies especially to Ellie.  I did not know Jim well, but he was a pleasant man with whom to attend school. Robin Fawsett, 1958.