About the Program

Are you someone who spends holidays and events bringing the dessert everyone wants? Do you wonder what it would take to bake for a living? If so, the Culinary Arts Baking and Pastry Program could be for you! It is designed to put students in the shoes of a professional baker or pastry chef. These students produce the baked goods for our Culinary Arts Training Grounds Café, Le Bistro Restaurant, and catering events for our local community.

Students gain hands-on experience building an extensive repertoire of pastries, breads, and desserts: pies, cakes, laminated pastries, and various breads. Our kitchen has a new bake shop equipped with multiple Hobart and KitchenAid mixers, a dough sheeter, convection oven, proof box, and deck oven. While students practice making pastries for real life deadlines in our outlets, they work together to improve their communication and collaboration skills. Students also learn the whys behind the how’s. We investigate the science of baking as well as break down the calculations needed for real life mathematical scenarios in the kitchen.

This class is a great springboard for creating interest in food science and other culinary pathways. Commercial Baking and Pastry allows the student’s passion to drive the learning and application of knowledge.

Download CABP Syllabus

Hi, I am Cornelia Wright. In my mid 20’s I discovered that I could get paid doing what I love and spent so much of my free time doing: baking! Since then, I have enjoyed working in a variety of kitchens in multiple states and climates for over 15 years. I started my career in Jackson Hole, Wyoming working for local hotels, resorts, and a small bakery. I had a great time working at the Four Seasons Resort in Teton Village. Working for such a large luxury hotel gave me access to some of the best ingredients and a varied menu that greatly expanded my repertoire. I later transferred within the company and moved to Hawaii to work at the Four Seasons at Hualalai on the Big Island and then returned to the mainland 7 years ago when I was hired by The Herbfarm in Woodinville. At The Herbfarm I loved the experience of working as pastry chef of a small farm-to-table restaurant where emphasis is placed on local ingredients and high standards for service and production. Following that and shortly before the onset of the current pandemic, I transitioned to working as the pastry chef at Café Juanita in Kirkland where I created fine dining desserts for a tasting and a la carte menu. I joined the Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center teaching staff in the Fall of 2021.

I am excited to share my passion for pastry with my students! I enjoy sharing my technical skills and knowledge with students through hands-on work, creating food for actual customers, and taking the time to discuss the reasons why our pastries taste and turn out the way they do.

The Commercial Baking & Pastry program is a great opportunity for students to discover if working in a professional kitchen is the right fit for their future. Even if they decide to choose a different path, the class will help them better understand how to create desserts and breads at home.