Chefs
Amanda Cooks! - Amanda Graves
Assabet Valley Reg. Tech. H.S. - Margo Wilson, Kirsten Bean and Joshua Brown
Becker College - Tonya Shiner
Beechwood Hotel - Jonathan Powers
Blackstone Valley Reg. Voc. Tech. H.S. - Matt Williams and Three Seasons Restaurant
Block 5 Bistro Bar - Jonathan Giddix
Daily Bread Bakery Café - Christopher Sohigian
Grafton Inn - Erin Myers
Harry's Restaurant and Dairy Bar - Sue Ryan
Mo's Fudge Factor - Michelle Olanyk
Publick House - Michael Heenan
Struck Catering - Russell Stannard & Jeanette May
Sunflower Baking Company - Adilson Oliveira

Amanda Cooks! - Amanda Graves
19 Carter Road ⋅ Shrewsbury, MA
Office 508-842-4305 ⋅ Kitchen 508-783-0336 ⋅ acook@townisp.com

Born in England, Amanda grew up in a family of caterers and studied culinary arts at the Cordon Bleu in London. She opened Amanda Cooks! in 2000 to cater small and medium-sized events, and specializes in European cuisine, with a particular love for sauces. Every menu is customized, and Amanda loves working with themed parties. She was voted best caterer by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette People's Pick in 2007.



Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School - Chef Margo Wilson, Kirsten
Bean and Joshua Brown
215 Fitchburg Street ⋅ Marlborough, MA
T 508-485-9430 ⋅ F 508-485-5357 ⋅ www.assabettech.com

Joshua was born in Framingham and was raised in Ayer. He is a Junior at Assabet Valley High School in the culinary arts program. Josh learned to cook from his mother, who every night, would make the best food. Josh's mother taught him how to chop, slice, and dice, everything. He learned baking through his own imagination. Joshua hopes to attend college, become a lawyer, and join a firm in Boston or New York. Born in Concord, MA and raised in Maynard, MA, Kirsten grew up in a family that loves food. Fall has always been her favorite season for food. She is currently a Junior at Assabet Valley High School in the culinary arts program. Kirsten has been a Girl Scout since 1995. In her spare time, Kirsten works, hangs out with her friends, and cooks as much as she can. One day Kirsten hopes to attend Framingham State College as an English major. Kirsten also hopes to own a successful, small bakery.


Becker College - Tonya Shiner
61 Sever Street ⋅ Worcester, MA
1-877-5-BECKER ⋅ www.becker.edu

Tonya Shiner, of Leicester, MA, graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a business degree. After working in the business world for over 10 years, Tonya decided to follow her real passion for baking and joined Sodexho Dining Services at Becker College in the spring of 2005. For the past two and a half years, she has found her position as lead baker to be extremely exciting, challenging and fulfilling. Tonya bakes daily for more than 500 resident students as well as faculty and staff. In addition, Tonya is in charge of all high-end baking for catering events. As a young girl, Tonya learned to bake with her grandmother and discovered her talent for the art. Her dream is to someday open a German bakery.


Beechwood Hotel - Jonathan Powers
363 Plantation Street ⋅ Worcester, MA
T 508-754-5789 ⋅ F 508-752-2060 ⋅ www.beechwoodhotel.com

Jonathan is a native of Worcester, MA. He graduated from Worcester Vocational High School. His mother was the executive chef at Michael and Maria's Restaurant in Worcester, where he got his start in the restaurant business at the early age of 14. Jonathan was able to put his cooking skills to use as the Sous Chef at Maxwell Silverman's and then the Chef at 86 Winter Street. He was hired by the Beechwood Hotel as the Sous Chef, and was recently promoted to Executive Chef due to his exceptional cooking and management skills.


Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School - Matt Williams
65 Pleasant Street ⋅ Upton, MA
508-529-7758 ⋅ www.valleytech.k12.ma.us

Matt was born and raised in Marlborough and attended Marlborough High School. Upon graduation, he attended Johnson and Wales University, earning a Bachelors Degree in Culinary Arts and later a Masters Degree in Food Service Education. Matt has cooked and taught all over the country including Nantucket, St. Petersburg, Dallas, Atlanta, San Jose, Washington DC, and Vail. Matt is the Culinary Arts Team Leader at Blackstone Valley Tech in Upton. He recently began a new business, sweetpotatoescookingschool.com, offering private cooking instruction to people in the comfort of their own kitchens.


Block 5 Bistro Bar - Jonathan Giddix
139 Green St ⋅ Worcester, MA
508-767-FIVE ⋅ www.block5bistro.com

A New England native, Jonathan studied Culinary Arts at the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont. Specializing in pastries and savory foods, Jonathan worked at various restaurants in Boston, Connecticut, and Worcester before coming to Block 5. While pastries and desserts remain a specialty of Jonathan's, he is an accomplished chef in all areas of the kitchen and has been the sous chef at Block 5 since its opening.


Daily Bread Bakery Café - Christopher Sohigian
76 Church Street ⋅ Whitinsville, MA
T 508-234-7070 ⋅ F 508-234-7094 ⋅ www.dailybreadbc.com

Chris is a home-schooled chef and a fan of artful baking for all of his 20 years of marriage to his wife Lisa. The Bakery Café opened in February of 2006 and serves breakfast & lunch sandwiches, soups and specialty desserts in a cozy café atmosphere with additional sidewalk seating. Wedding cakes and birthday cake sculptures are Chris' favorite pieces of edible art. All cakes are designed with your theme in mind and commissioned just for you. Anything can be created with cake, frosting and chocolate... anything!



Grafton Inn - Erin Myers
25 Central Square ⋅ Grafton, MA
T 508-839-5931 ⋅ F 508-839-1592 ⋅ www.thegraftoninn.com

Erin Myers has been working in the culinary field for 10 years. Her journey began in the bakery of her local supermarket before being accepted into Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. After graduation in 2001, Erin went to work for a wholesale company in Rhode Island under Tim Kennedy. She worked there until about 2004 when she moved back to the North Shore of Massachusetts, working for a small bakery and doing all of the baking. Erin currently works as the Pastry Chef at the Grafton Inn in Grafton, Massachusetts. She hopes to eventually have her own online bakery, specializing in cookies and vegan desserts.


Harry's Restaurant and Dairy Bar - Sue Ryan
149 Turnpike Rd (Rte 9) ⋅ Westborough, MA
T 508-366-8302 ⋅ www.harrysrestaurant.com

Sue Ryan is a 33-year employee at Harry's and has been creating homemade mouth watering desserts for the restaurant for over 25 years. Sue, who is known not only for her homemade desserts but her award winning personality, is happy to participate this year in the Girl Scout ÒFork it OverÓ event. From her homemade cupcakes and frosting to her unique whoopie pies, twinkies, pies and cakes, they are all winners. Sue, who has worked at Harry's since she was 15 years old, has mastered all aspects of the restaurant operation, especially her baking exploits. It is a pleasure to have Sue Ryan from Harry's participate in ÒFork it OverÓ this year to raise money for the Girl Scouts.


Mo's Fudge Factor - Michelle Olanyk
9 State Street ⋅ Shelburne Falls, MA
T 413-625-6645 ⋅ www.mosfudgefactor.com

Mo's Fudge Factor was started in March of 2006. After working for many entrepreneurial companies (Vermont Country Store, Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, Yankee Candle Co., and Pawsenclaws & Co.), Michelle Olanyk decided it was time to give her own business a try and a candy store seemed perfect. It would give her time with her kids and she already enjoyed dabbling in candy-making. Mo's started in a small, 6-foot corner of her neighbor's commercial kitchen. She began selling her fudge at craft markets, wholesaling it to local stores, and offering it to schools and organizations for fund raising programs. After a year, she knew it was time to branch out. Mo's Fudge Factor now occupies a 1,300 square foot retail shop in Shelburne Falls and features more than just fudge. There's taffy, candy apples, chocolate, and over 60 candy jars to scoop your favorites. And, of course, there's ice cream with homemade hot fudge sauce!


Publick House Historic Inn - Michael Heenan
277 Main Street - Route 131 ⋅ Sturbridge, MA
T 508-347-3313 ⋅ 1-800-PUBLICK ⋅ www.publickhouse.com

Michael Heenan from Worcester, MA began cooking in his family's restaurant, the El Morocco. He moved to Augusta, GA to further his culinary education at Augusta Technical College majoring in Culinary Arts and Hotel/Restaurant Management. Michael completed an internship at West Country Club, where after graduation he was hired to the position of sous chef. From there, he took the position of sous chef at the Sheraton Augusta Hotel. When an opportunity to move back home arose, he took a position at the Beechwood Hotel where he spent 4 years before moving on to the Publick House in Sturbridge.


Struck Catering - Russell Stannard and Jeanette May
130 Hamilton St ⋅ Worcester, MA
T 508-755-5953 ⋅ F 508-421-9391 ⋅ www.struckcatering.com

For 16 years Russell Stannard was Executive Chef at the internationally acclaimed 4- Star, 4-Diamond Rabbit Hill Inn, in Vermont. It was there that he was honored for his innovative cuisine and distinct style at the prestigious James Beard House. In the spring of 2005 Russell partnered with Barbara Cotter, owner of Struck Catering, for whom he had worked for twenty years earlier at the Struck Café. In addition to his work with Struck Catering, Russell is also the Food Service Director for Camp Putnam, based in New Braintree, Massachusetts. Camp Putnam is a Fresh Air camp for inner-city children. Russell is a 1979 graduate of Johnson & Wales University.

After working as a software engineer for 10 years, Jeanette decided to leave the financially secure corporate world to follow her unbridled passion for the culinary arts. Jeanette attended Connecticut Culinary Institute and moved to Massachusetts in 1997. She honed her skills with various high-end caterers and restaurants in the Worcester and Boston areas. In November of 2006, Jeanette joined the culinary team at Struck Catering. Jeanette is active in the Women Chefs and Restaurateurs organization. She traveled to China with her mentor, Barbara Tropp, and other women chefs, and was the recipient of a scholarship to the Ross School in East Hampton, Long Island where she studied organic and sustainability food practices. Currently, Jeanette is the local chapter coordinator for the Women Chefs and Restaurateurs and a committee member for the National Conference held this year in Newport, RI.


Sunflower Baking Company - Adilson Oliveira
85 Grove St ⋅ Hopkinton, MA
T 508-435-4456 ⋅ sunflowerbaking.tripod.com

Originally from Brazil, Adilson Roberto Oliveira has been working in food service since he came to the United States in 1990. In 1992, he began working for Morning Glories Bakery on the South Shore, serving as Pastry Chef there for six years. In 1998, Adilson decided it was time to start up a business of his own. Thus Sunflower Baking Company was born. While the small business is currently run out of his home, word of mouth is spreading quickly and Adilson plans to open a retail store in the future.