After one semester as a science major at a university, Karli Franske knew she had made a mistake. “I was creative, but I didn’t want to be an artist,” she recalled. “My grandmother and mother baked a lot and I...

When Leah Fogle’s husband suggested they open a brewery she thought it was a pipe dream. She also thought cooking wasn’t a legitimate career skill. The dream came true when The Appleton Beer Factory opened its doors in 2013 with...

Molly Maciejewski was already on her way to earning a bachelor’s degree in English when she discovered her true career passion—cooking. She completed that degree and then enrolled in Moraine Park Technical College’s Culinary Arts program. Molly started working in...

Mark discovered his passion for cooking in seventh grade and got a job with a local caterer during high school. Although he was accepted to a prestigious culinary school, a health issue prevented Mark from completing that program. Back home...

Justin Aprahamian entered the culinary world at the age of 12 helping out with his uncle’s catering company. In his teens he worked his way up from dishwasher to garde (refrigeration) manager at Steven Wade’s Café. Justin began his formal...