Welcome back, everyone! I’ve been playing with the layout of my blog, and I’ve added a menu bar on the side of my homepage with a “baking” section. I figured it might be helpful to start posting some of my work there, as I would like to showcase and feature some of my other talents outside of graduate school coursework.
At 18 years old, I began my professional cooking career in the Army. Army cooking taught me fantastic time management skills and how to cook large quantities in a short amount of time. I held various positions in the kitchen, including head baker. After being honorably discharged, I attended Le Cordon Bleu in Dallas, Texas, and graduated with a 4.0 GPA, earning an AAS in patisserie and baking. After graduation, I left Dallas and moved to Asheville, North Carolina, to work as a lead pastry cook at The Biltmore Estate for almost five years. Like many service industry workers, I found myself suddenly unemployed due to the pandemic and ventured out alone.
I started the company during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was a great way to work from home while going to school at the same time. I had not transferred to Western Carolina University yet and had more free time to spend on baking. I operated the company for two years. When I began my studies at Western, I needed more time. I decided to shut down operations and move forward with education as my main priority. I still bake on the side for customers, but now, it’s a fun hobby I enjoy as a creative outlet!
I think the best way to showcase some of my work is by sharing a link to the Instagram account I used for my custom-made dessert company, Custom Goods LLC. The business is no longer active, and I’ve since closed it down, but I keep the Instagram page up to share my work with others. Here is the link to the Instagram page. Please enjoy my work and feel free to comment or ask questions. Thank you!
Innovative Leadership and Entrepreneurship: A Graduate Student's Perspective 