Johnson & Wales University - Providence

I was a pastry chef.

I went to Johnson & Wales, lived in New York City, worked in England, traveled all over Europe.

I was a pastry chef and I had this amazing love for baking.

Since I was like 14 years old, I started as a dishwasher at a small bakery.

So started as a dishwasher when I was 14 and then fell in love with baking and said, I got to do this.

So at 16 years old.

I graduated high school early, a year early, convinced my parents to let me go to Johnson & Wales.

I turned 17 three weeks before I left for school.

And we would have to tie them in little bundles for these weddings that he would cater.

And he was a Johnston of Wales trained executive chef.

Yeah.

And so I was just, I didn't know anything, right? But I was willing to get paid and willing to help.

Yeah.

So I think particularly being exposed to schools like CIA or Johnson and Wales University at a younger age, I certainly thought, you know, in my mind, school was for being super focused and it being very academic.

And it never dawned on me that you could go to school to study a business that you love or that you enjoy.

And I thought, wow, kids get to cook for fun and it's considered school.