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When Escoffier student Tiffany Moore was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during her culinary training, she nearly gave up. A Chef Instructor’s encouragement—invoking a world-renowned chef who overcame physical limitations—kept her moving forward.
Tiffany’s story isn’t unique; many Escoffier students describe the personal support and guidance they received from their Chef Instructors, whether that meant a text message offering encouragement, frank advice about career potential, or a willingness to share knowledge that went far beyond what was required.
At Escoffier, relationships between students and Chef Instructors can at times become the foundation for life-changing experiences. Every student’s experience is different, but here are a few stories from alumni who describe their favorite Chef Instructor moments.
Meet the Chef Instructors: Experience That Makes the Difference
At Escoffier, Chef Instructors bring industry experience into the classroom. They’re professionals who’ve built careers in the culinary world and who now dedicate themselves to culinary education.
These Chef Instructors have diverse backgrounds across the industry. Escoffier’s faculty includes 73 executive chefs, 55 current or former business owners, 16 who have worked in Michelin Star restaurants, and 12 published authors.
Their expertise ranges from traditional techniques to plant-based cuisine, and from business management to creative development. Escoffier’s Chef Instructors understand that culinary education involves both technical skills and personal growth.
Chef Instructor Support During Health Crises and Personal Setbacks
Already dealing with multiple cervical spine surgeries from a military injury, Tiffany Moore was working toward her culinary goals when she got devastating news.
“I got my MS diagnosis while I was going through school, and I almost quit,” Tiffany said. The idea of handling multiple sclerosis on top of her existing challenges felt overwhelming, especially since it happened while she was practicing knife skills for her coursework. But Tiffany decided to reach out to her Chef Instructor for guidance.
Her instructor’s response provided both encouragement and practical perspective
“She just encouraged me, and she told me of a chef by the name of Paul Prudhomme who ran his kitchen from a wheelchair,” Tiffany said. “My instructor told me that I didn’t have to stop, and checked on me all the time through text and email.”
Tiffany Moore, Escoffier graduate and entrepreneur, overcame significant health challenges during her culinary education with support from her Chef Instructors.
Those regular check-ins helped Tiffany continue her culinary education. As she later said in her graduation speech, they helped her “push past the limits of my mind.”
Today, Tiffany is a successful entrepreneur who co-owns a catering business and is building her future restaurant, Lola Pecan. She’s applied the business skills she explored at Escoffier to her work.
“I am thankful because Escoffier definitely propelled me to go places that I’ve never imagined,” she said.
*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
How Chef Instructors Can Build Student Confidence During Difficult Times
Parker Wilks-Bryant was working while attending culinary school and found himself in what he describes as “a very toxic work environment.”
“When I was working for this not-so-great chef throughout my time in culinary school, I would talk to Chef Jesper and Chef Julia Wolfe,” Parker said. “They were my main mentors through culinary school, and they would reassure me that I was worth more and that things would get better.”
Parker Wilks-Bryant found mentorship and encouragement from Chef Instructors during challenging times in his culinary education.
This consistent support made a meaningful difference during a difficult period. His Chef Instructors’ guidance helped Parker persevere through challenging circumstances and reminded him of his value while he continued to pursue his goals.
“They were great mentors of mine, and I’m very happy that I got to know them,” Parker said.
*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
How Chef Instructors Help Students Discover Unexpected Career Paths
Sometimes the most powerful mentorship happens when someone helps a student realize they’re capable of more than they ever imagined.
Mike Carrillo enrolled in Escoffier’s plant-based culinary program after a period of profound personal change. Mike had spent years in the oil field and struggled with diabetes that pushed his weight to nearly 400 pounds. When a life-threatening infection forced him to take his health seriously, he turned to plant-based eating. Within three months, he was off all diabetes medications and had lost significant weight.
Mike Carrillo (second from left) at his 2024 Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts graduation, where Chef Instructors helped him discover his potential beyond his original goals.
Mike wanted to help others facing similar health challenges.
“I thought I was going to open a food truck, maybe get into a brick and mortar, or work with other chefs,” he said.
But during his studies, one of Mike’s Chef Instructors recognized his potential beyond just cooking.
“She told me, ‘I highly doubt that for you—because of your experience in management and understanding that side of it, going along with your degree, I think it’s going to open more doors than what you think it is,'” Mike said.
The Chef Instructor was right. Today, Mike serves as Culinary Director at Odessa College in Texas. He’s redesigned their culinary program and hired multiple Escoffier graduates.
“I didn’t realize the amount of education that I had explored from Escoffier until it actually started coming to life for me,” Mike said.
*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
How Chef Instructors Encourage Students to Go Beyond the Basics
During his time in Escoffier’s pastry program, Wes Duckworth found that his Chef Instructors inspired students to dig deeper and ask questions that sometimes go beyond the curriculum.
“I had Chef Dan for three of my four blocks, and his knowledge was insane,” Wes recalled. “But he was very much like, if you kept asking him questions, he would keep giving you more information.”
This willingness to go beyond the standard curriculum made a strong impression on Wes, who appreciated having access to that additional expertise.
“They had a lot of that information because they had a lot of experience,” Wes said of his instructors. He said they could share insights about different operations, whether hotels, restaurants, or catering, because they had worked in various settings.
Wes Duckworth, Escoffier graduate and entrepreneur, learned to go beyond the basics through encouragement from a Chef Instructor, who shared extensive knowledge when students asked deeper questions.
This meant students could “practice through some of their mistakes without having them,” as Wes puts it.
Today, Wes owns two successful businesses, including scratch kitchen operations at two major athletic stadiums, where he applies the same curiosity and drive to keep learning that his Chef Instructors instilled in him.
*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
How Chef Instructors Help Students Find Their True Career Path
During his time at Escoffier, Chris McAdams found both challenging instruction and meaningful mentorship.
“My most memorable times at Escoffier were in (a former instructor’s) class because he treats it like a real restaurant,” Chris said. “I wanted to know that I could handle it. I just had so much fun in that class with him because he was so hard. He didn’t take any excuses, and I don’t give any excuses to myself.”
Beyond the classroom, Chris sought deeper connections with his Chef Instructors.
“I really just developed individual relationships outside of the classroom with the (chef instructors) I worked with to try to understand what it really meant to succeed in this career field,” he said.
These relationships led to career-changing advice about how Chris could make the most of his particular skills.
“I had chefs that I worked with that said, ‘Seeing what you can do, what you’re capable of, and what your background is—don’t go be a restaurant cook because that would be a waste of your time and assets,'” Chris said.
Today, Chris works as a research chef and consultant, helping food businesses nationwide with product development and culinary marketing.
“My most important takeaways from Escoffier were the relationships with my Chef Instructors and the confidence that I could do it,” he said.
*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
Guidance From Those Who Have Been There
From Tiffany’s resilience to Mike’s unexpected career pivot, these alumni show that Chef Instructors often do far more than teach in the classroom. They can guide, mentor, and believe in students when it matters most. For many, those relationships become the true recipe for success.
The lessons extend beyond knife skills or cooking techniques. The encouragement, perspective, and mentorship from Chef Instructors can provide steady support during both school and career.
If you’d like to explore a culinary education or find out more about ways you can work toward your culinary goals, contact us for more information.
