Chef maria provencher

Maria’s love for everything sweet inspired her to begin a second career in fine pastries and confections!

Maria grew up savoring the flavors of two cultures and two countries, the Dominican Republic and the United States. She received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Washington, DC where she carried out a successful international career.

Maria took a break from her career to raise two boys and this is when she discovered that her passion for sweets went beyond just savoring them. She wanted to envision them, make them, and create them with her own hands. She started a small specialty designer catering business specializing in designer cupcakes. But Maria wanted to be classically trained and thus enrolled in the Pastry and Baking Arts Program at Pierpont Culinary Academy in Fairmont, WV under the tutelage of Chef Brian Floyd and Chef Jay Mahoney. Her zeal for this art has earned Maria three ACF Silver Medals and one Bronze medal. As Captain of the 2010-2011 West Virginia State Champion Culinary Team, Maria led the Team to Silver Medal and Third Place at the 2011 ACF Northeast Regional Culinary Student Team Competition in Columbus, OH. Maria has also been selected the Outstanding Pastry and Baking Student for two consecutive years. She was also awarded the Martha Rhodes Culinary Arts Scholarship and the ACFWV Scholarship.

Most recently Maria completed her Pastry and Baking Practicums at New Day Bakery, an artisan bread bakery in Morgantown, WV and Lautrec, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort’s 5 Star, 5 Diamond restaurant. Maria will graduate in May 2012. The sky is the limit for Maria!

Chef maria provencher