BERNSTEIN

Always Something Cooking

When Nicholas Bernstein (New York, N. Y.) applied to film school, he had Woody Allen write his recommendation. When he didn't enjoy the music at the local fraternity parties, he started his own DJ business which now earns over $1500 per term. When Bernstein decided he couldn't stomach college food, he began writing a cookbook for students. In the words of Tom Reilly, Woody Allen's first assistant director, "Nick is a hustler."

Reilly, who was Bernstein's supervisor in four Allen movies, explains his assessment, "He's a hard worker. That's the nature of the motion picture business. . . . The people that succeed are people that put in 14hour days and are running around all the time. He's that type of person."

Bernstein met Allen in 1975 and has worked as a production assistant in Stardust Memories, Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy, reshoots of Zelig, and Broadway Danny Rose. He said, "I have developed a relationship where I can joke with him and talk with him as my boss. But l ean ask him a question and he can give me a professional answer."

Bernstein's introduction to film came from his writer and director father, Walter Bernstein '40, whose credits include Semi-Tough, Yanks, and The Front. "I've been around the film business since I was three years old," the younger Bernstein explained. "It's the business I've grown up with. I feel, without sounding arrogant, that I'm creative. I'm not cut out for business or law. I think film is what I'm good at."

The other thing he is good at is cooking. At 5'6" and 142 pounds, Bernstein does not, at first glance, strike you as your typical cook; but then no one ever accused him of being "typical." He explains his cookbook with enthusiasm: "I started cooking when I was five or six. My parents are both incredible chefs and I found out I was pretty good at it too. Then I came up to school. No of fense to Thayer . . . but I didn't find it that good compared to what I was used to at home." Bernstein pauses to tell me the new film at the Nugget "is trash," then flags down the waitress for another beer and continues. "I was talking to my mom and she said, 'This is a perfect combination: you hate the food at school and you can cook. Wouldn't it be amazing to write a cookbook for college students.' "

Presently, Bernstein's publisher is looking over a book proposal that includes chapters on barbecuing, cooking with a hot plate and a toaster oven, and cooking for that "special someone." He stresses "that it's all got to be funny. If it's geared to a college audience and it's just a straight cookbook it's going to die."

He also writes a weekly column in The Dartmouth called "Cooking with Nick" which has received national attention in USA Today and the Associated Press and has been the subject of features in newspapers as far away as Montana.

About his future plans Bernstein is a bit less decisive. "I've kept my options open, which is a nice way of saying I haven't made up my mind," he grins. "If things work out I'll take six months to a year writing the cookbook, that would be ideal since I wouldn't be dependent on a nine-to-five job. Otherwise I'll end up going to film school or getting a job in the film industry."

As for his start as a disc jockey for parties and fraternity formals, Bernstein attributes it to crowd demand. "Everyone says, 'New York Nick, you should be a DJ.' I have a pretty big record collection and a guy comes along with amazing stereo equipment." He stops and lowers his voice a moment, "He doesn't know anything about music he's from western Massachusetts." And then continues, "It worked perfectly . . . and it's a blast. You're getting paid to listen to your own music."

This is a perfectcombination: youhate the food at theschool and you cancook. Wouldn't it beamazing to write acookbook for collegestudents."