Ambitious US teen trades college education for tasty truffles

NEW YORK - Ian Purkayastha's teenage revolution didn't involve loud music, rebelling against his parents or embarrassing fashion experiments. For him it was a dish of black truffle ravioli with foie gras sauce.

Three years later at age 18, Purkayastha not only remembers the "amazing" taste of the dish, but he's turned himself into one of America's leading truffle tycoons.

In 2009 he took up his post as North American sales director for PAQ Gubbio, a leading Italian truffle producer.