A self proclaimed lover of food, Carolyn Gloster began her culinary experiences as a child, helping her mom make the family dinners. After a few cooking classes in high school, and work at local restaurants, including China Lake and MaRaffa's, she knew her future career would somehow involve food. She entered Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI with an eager spirit and graduated Summa Cum Laude with degrees in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management.
During her college career, she was elected the first president of the Special Functions Club. Regarded as one of the more prestigious clubs on the culinary campus, the group is still very active today. As President, she assisted in the success of numerous events that hosted world-renowned chefs Emeril Lagasse, Julia Child and Wolfgang Puck, among others.
An internship at the Hilton at Dedham Place in Dedham, MA, opened her eyes to the long hours and constant momentum of a busy hotel career. She remained with the hotel after her internship was complete as Outlets Supervisor, where she helped to oversee the daily operations of an 80+ seat full-service restaurant, 2 full-service lounges and 250 rooms Room Service division. She quickly realized that the path of long and exhausting hotel hours was not one she wanted to continue on for long.
Staying within the Hilton family, she was first Conference Planner and then Conference Center Manager with Harrison Conference Services at FleetBank's (later Bank of America's Conference and Training Center in Providence, RI. A "normal" nine-to-five job was a welcomed change of pace and although she liked the interaction with clients as she planned and oversaw their business meetings, she missed the culinary part of the hospitality industry. When a company merger was taking place, she took that opportunity to finally branch out on her own, with the gentle support and prodding (SHOVING) of family and friends. With just 4 quarters (seriously) she started her own business, launching “Culinary Creations by Carolyn, a Personal Chef Service” in 2005.
Over hundreds of events, from baby and bridal showers, to weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and holiday parties have been successfully catered to by Carolyn and her staff over the past several years. However, after the birth of twin daughters, she realized that the personal chef business still demanded long hours and precious time away from her new family. Fueling requests from friends, family and clients, she decided to launch "Kid Kuisine with Carolyn", children's cooking classes and birthdays. The new venture allowed her to still do what she loved best, cook and interact with people, but on a smaller scale - no pun intended. Her new little "chefs" were inspiring.
Opportunity arose to teach at Somerset High School with the retirement of long-standing Consumer Science teacher, Linda Boisselle, her former instructor and mentor. Carolyn has since been teaching Food, Nutrition and Consumerism classes at SHS and now Somerset Berkley Regional High School since September of 2009. She’s excited about the new opportunities for her students, both in and out of the classroom. She strives to bring real-world application to the classroom, inspiring her students to look behind the traditional idea of a career in the food industry being “just a chef”, by researching and exploring topics that include nutrition, the farm-to-table movement, sustainable growing, preventing food borne illness and contamination, and easy kitchen how-to's to prepare them for taking care of their own families in a nutritionally sound and economically friendly manner one day.
Her transition into the classroom was made easier by her 10 years of experience as a youth group leader at her church, along with her experience assisting students as a Paraprofessional at SHS for several years and time spent teaching Freshman English during summer school.
If you're interested in taking a peak into what we do every day, sign up for a night class which are available for adults interested in brushing up on their culinary skills or who just want to cook and share recipes and techniques with their neighbors and fellow foodies. Contact the Community Evening School for more information or look for new class enrollment information in The Spectator or at www.southcoasttoday.com/spectator . Classes are taught by Mrs. Gloster along with student assistants.
During her college career, she was elected the first president of the Special Functions Club. Regarded as one of the more prestigious clubs on the culinary campus, the group is still very active today. As President, she assisted in the success of numerous events that hosted world-renowned chefs Emeril Lagasse, Julia Child and Wolfgang Puck, among others.
An internship at the Hilton at Dedham Place in Dedham, MA, opened her eyes to the long hours and constant momentum of a busy hotel career. She remained with the hotel after her internship was complete as Outlets Supervisor, where she helped to oversee the daily operations of an 80+ seat full-service restaurant, 2 full-service lounges and 250 rooms Room Service division. She quickly realized that the path of long and exhausting hotel hours was not one she wanted to continue on for long.
Staying within the Hilton family, she was first Conference Planner and then Conference Center Manager with Harrison Conference Services at FleetBank's (later Bank of America's Conference and Training Center in Providence, RI. A "normal" nine-to-five job was a welcomed change of pace and although she liked the interaction with clients as she planned and oversaw their business meetings, she missed the culinary part of the hospitality industry. When a company merger was taking place, she took that opportunity to finally branch out on her own, with the gentle support and prodding (SHOVING) of family and friends. With just 4 quarters (seriously) she started her own business, launching “Culinary Creations by Carolyn, a Personal Chef Service” in 2005.
Over hundreds of events, from baby and bridal showers, to weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and holiday parties have been successfully catered to by Carolyn and her staff over the past several years. However, after the birth of twin daughters, she realized that the personal chef business still demanded long hours and precious time away from her new family. Fueling requests from friends, family and clients, she decided to launch "Kid Kuisine with Carolyn", children's cooking classes and birthdays. The new venture allowed her to still do what she loved best, cook and interact with people, but on a smaller scale - no pun intended. Her new little "chefs" were inspiring.
Opportunity arose to teach at Somerset High School with the retirement of long-standing Consumer Science teacher, Linda Boisselle, her former instructor and mentor. Carolyn has since been teaching Food, Nutrition and Consumerism classes at SHS and now Somerset Berkley Regional High School since September of 2009. She’s excited about the new opportunities for her students, both in and out of the classroom. She strives to bring real-world application to the classroom, inspiring her students to look behind the traditional idea of a career in the food industry being “just a chef”, by researching and exploring topics that include nutrition, the farm-to-table movement, sustainable growing, preventing food borne illness and contamination, and easy kitchen how-to's to prepare them for taking care of their own families in a nutritionally sound and economically friendly manner one day.
Her transition into the classroom was made easier by her 10 years of experience as a youth group leader at her church, along with her experience assisting students as a Paraprofessional at SHS for several years and time spent teaching Freshman English during summer school.
If you're interested in taking a peak into what we do every day, sign up for a night class which are available for adults interested in brushing up on their culinary skills or who just want to cook and share recipes and techniques with their neighbors and fellow foodies. Contact the Community Evening School for more information or look for new class enrollment information in The Spectator or at www.southcoasttoday.com/spectator . Classes are taught by Mrs. Gloster along with student assistants.