Chef Margaret Puglisi

I went into the Baking and Pastry Arts program at Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte thinking I wanted to be a wedding cake decorator. After about 2 days, I called my mom in tears saying I would never get there and I was dropping out. She convinced me to stay through the end of the trimester before deciding. The very next week, I fell in love with bread baking and worked at a bakery all through my college career. My senior year, I was fortunate enough to get a job at The Masters Golf Tournament (something I continue to return to annually for over a decade). I made professional connections that led me to working in fine dining at Forbes Five Star hotels in Watch Hill, RI and Charleston, SC. After a few years, I was burnt out and moved back home to Maryland to do something less stressful...and I decided to teach high school. For 7 years, I was a Culinary and Nutrition teacher for Anne Arundel County Public Schools. I started working part time at a family-owned teaching kitchen where I have since transitioned into a full-time management role. I am so grateful that I have found a way to combine my love of food with my passion for teaching others.