OUR CHEFS

Chef Eric, is an Ellicott City native, has been cooking in restaurants since he was fifteen years old.   He found his passion when he helped his cousin, CCW Instructor Chef Matthew Milani, open The Rumor Mill, in Historic Ellicott City. He fell in love with the organized chaos that exists in the world of a professional kitchen. Working th

Chef Eric, is an Ellicott City native, has been cooking in restaurants since he was fifteen years old.   He found his passion when he helped his cousin, CCW Instructor Chef Matthew Milani, open The Rumor Mill, in Historic Ellicott City. He fell in love with the organized chaos that exists in the world of a professional kitchen. Working there spurred his desire to attend Culinary School at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island; he earned degrees in Advanced Culinary Arts and Foodservice Management. 

Chef Eric proceeded to manage several professional kitchens in Howard County and Baltimore, from fine dining to brewpub restaurants. Even including a brief trip up to Central Maine to help a friend from culinary school open his own restaurant, sharing his wisdom and expertise. 

Chef Eric keeps his skills as sharp as his knives over his nearly eighteen years of experience spent in the industry. Along with working with students at the Culinary Craft Workshop he also works at Old Line Kitchen and Wine Bar in Columbia where he can continue in learning, growing, and leading others. 

Chef Jesse has almost 20 years of experience in kitchens across the country, Jesse has led teams as a Head Chef, developed innovative menus, and now brings his passion for both food and creativity to the Culinary Craft Workshop. After spending the last 15 years honing his culinary craft in Los Angeles, Jesse returned to his hometown of Ba

Chef Jesse has almost 20 years of experience in kitchens across the country, Jesse has led teams as a Head Chef, developed innovative menus, and now brings his passion for both food and creativity to the Culinary Craft Workshop. After spending the last 15 years honing his culinary craft in Los Angeles, Jesse returned to his hometown of Baltimore, MD, in January with his wife and newborn son.

But cooking isn’t the only art form Jesse embraces. As a musician who’s toured the United States with multiple acts, he draws unique connections between the rhythm of music and the flow of the kitchen. For Jesse, whether it’s composing a melody or crafting a dish, it’s all about creating an experience that resonates.

Chef Jesse’s easygoing teaching style, combined with his artistic approach, will inspire you to embrace cooking as a joyful and expressive art form.

Chef Lauren’s love of baking started in her grandmother’s kitchen as a child. Her grandmother taught her how to make a jello mold and that sparked her fondness for baking treats for friends and family!  Lauren graduated from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone from their Baking and Pastry Certificate program in 2010 after recei

Chef Lauren’s love of baking started in her grandmother’s kitchen as a child. Her grandmother taught her how to make a jello mold and that sparked her fondness for baking treats for friends and family!  Lauren graduated from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone from their Baking and Pastry Certificate program in 2010 after receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Restaurant Management from University of Delaware.  A Catonsville native, Lauren moved back home to her hometown and worked in local bakeries such as Atwater’s, Charm City Cakes, where she worked with the "Ace of Cakes" Duff Goldman and at La Cakerie, where she was featured on an episode of Cake Wars and Cake Hunters. Cake and cupcake decorating are her passion and she loves baking special occasion and wedding cakes.  She is really excited to teach baking classes at the Culinary Craft Workshop and can’t wait to share her baking knowledge with you!

Chef Angela was born here in Baltimore, Maryland. The first thing she ever learned to cook was french toast at the age of 5. She went to Elizabethtown College for a degree in theater, and started making themed cupcakes for every theatrical show. This gave her the bright idea after graduation that the best course of action was to move to A

Chef Angela was born here in Baltimore, Maryland. The first thing she ever learned to cook was french toast at the age of 5. She went to Elizabethtown College for a degree in theater, and started making themed cupcakes for every theatrical show. This gave her the bright idea after graduation that the best course of action was to move to Australia and become a pastry chef. Which she did. She attended Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney, Australia and earned a Grande Diploma de Cuisine et Patisserie making her both a French Chef and Pastry Chef, only with an Australian accent to her knife work.  
After working in fine dining restaurants in Canberra, Australia, Angela moved back to Baltimore and worked for a variety of establishments including The Lord Baltimore Hotel, The Source by Wolfgang Puck, and currently Corcoran Caterers as their executive pastry chef. You can find Angela at the Culinary Craft Workshop sharing her obsession with Macarons as well as other baked treats and maybe occasionally dusting off the Cuisine part of that diploma.  

Chef Instructor at the Culinary Craft Workshop, Dan brings over 25 years of experience in the food industry. His extensive career includes a decade leading Mokomandy in Sterling, Virginia, celebrated for its unique Korean-Cajun fusion. A Maryland native, Dan trained at the Culinary Institute of America and contributed as a teaching assist

Chef Instructor at the Culinary Craft Workshop, Dan brings over 25 years of experience in the food industry. His extensive career includes a decade leading Mokomandy in Sterling, Virginia, celebrated for its unique Korean-Cajun fusion. A Maryland native, Dan trained at the Culinary Institute of America and contributed as a teaching assistant at the CIA’s Rudd Center for Enology and Greystone Research and Development Kitchen. He holds a sommelier certification from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust and a certification in flavor dynamics from the North American Sommelier Association. Dan also earned an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Babson College’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business.

Currently, he operates as a chef and consultant via Bespoke Catering LLC, which specializes in foraged and farmed-to-plate value-added food and beverage products for private events, farms, food businesses, and food manufacturers. 

At the Culinary Craft Workshop, Chef Dan leverages his deep expertise and appreciation for quality ingredients, focusing on innovative and sustainable culinary practices.

Chef Matthew Milani, a Catonsville resident, is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Program.  He holds degrees in Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts, and Hotel & Restaurant Management in addition to a Sommelier.    Prior to graduation from culinary school, Chef Matthew completed externships under Louisiana Super Chef Paul Prudhomme and at the W

Chef Matthew Milani, a Catonsville resident, is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Program.  He holds degrees in Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts, and Hotel & Restaurant Management in addition to a Sommelier.    Prior to graduation from culinary school, Chef Matthew completed externships under Louisiana Super Chef Paul Prudhomme and at the White House during President Bill Clinton’s presidency.    His professional experience includes time in the front and back of the house at four of the Foreman/Wolf restaurants, as well opening over fifty units across the country for multiple national and independent restaurant groups.   Chef Matthew was the owner and Executive Chef at his own restaurant, The Rumor Mill Fusion Bar & Restaurant, in Historic Ellicott City-focusing on global small plates & fusion beverages for the ten years prior to the catastrophic flood which removed the building.  In addition to being the lead culinary judge of Maryland Prostart, he is active in the American Culinary Foundation and likes to nurture and mentor younger chefs.   He was named Maryland’s Restaurateur of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Maryland in 2012.