Patricia Liu is a culinary and project management consultant who has worked with Michelin-starred restaurants, international restaurant chains, and Fortune 500 companies. She holds SB and MEng degrees in Computer Science from MIT. She was a Senior Manager in custom software applications at Accenture, responsible for managing and delivering projects for clients, including Microsoft, eBay, Ross Stores, Williams-Sonoma, and Philip Morris. Patricia left Accenture to pursue her interest in cooking by attending culinary school. She went on to work in the kitchens at Michelin-starred restaurants, such as The French Laundry, Atelier Crenn, Restaurant Gary Danko, and State Bird Provisions. Most recently, she was the Special Projects Manager for Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, where she worked on a variety of projects, including opening new restaurants, recipe testing for a new cookbook, and Chef Keller’s MasterClass productions.

Why did you decide to volunteer with the MITCNC?

I’ve attended so many great MITCNC events over the years, so I wanted to give back and help keep the events going.

Tell us a bit about your role with the MITCNC. What are your responsibilities in this position?

James Hong and I co-chair the Social Track. We work with other volunteers to organize different types of social events, such as the upcoming Pi Day. Another one of our initiatives is recruiting alums to help host events.

What exciting things can we expect to see from your area of focus in the coming months? (e.g., social events, speakers, etc.)

Return of the Dine-Arounds! Also, we would like to have more social events that also incorporate learning, activities, and networking (e.g., cooking classes). I think most MIT alums have diverse interests, so I’m hoping to have a variety of events.

Describe one of your most memorable MIT moments.

Walking through extreme cold and snowy conditions on Memorial Drive for mid-terms or finals [I grew up in Texas]