Erin Reed
When Erin Reed learned how a good meal can positively affect people, she knew she had found her career path. It led her to be named the American Culinary Federation’s 2024 Pastry Chef of the Year.
Learn more about this Academy of Culinary Arts chef instructor in this week’s Meet Our Faculty feature.
What is it about the culinary field that initially drew you in—and ultimately keeps you interested?
I always loved cooking and found culinary school after a couple unsatisfying years of undergraduate. An externship at the Broadmoor introduced me to the world of fine dining and the artistry of plated desserts. I was hooked. The ability to combine flavors, textures, and colors and to incorporate almost every skill learned, in a way that was not only beautiful but could give the guest an experience unlike any other—this is and always will be my favorite part of cooking.
Why do you enjoy teaching in this discipline?
It is a great pleasure to share my passion for cooking with the future generation of culinarians. Watching a student progress and gain confidence in the short amount of time they are with us and being just a small stepping stone to what I hope will be careers full of success.
What advice would you give students about how to succeed in college?
Listen. Be open to new experiences. Be helpful and respectful to your classmates. Just because you don’t get something on the first try doesn’t mean you should give up. Keep practicing! Ask all of the questions; your instructors are here to guide you and help you be successful.
Tell us something about yourself that your students might not know.
Since I teach primarily baking and pastry classes, most of my students don’t know that I also like to cook savory food!