Chef Scott Meyer, instructor for the Advanced Pastry and Showpieces class, grew up in San Jose, California. His first illustrious career was in the Navy, where he went to language school and learned Russian, thus enabling him to become a Russian interpreter. When it came time to re-enlist, he started looking at other career options and his thoughts always came back to his love for cooking. He chose CIA for culinary school, but they required that he have 6 months of industry experience before acceptance. He made his way to Charleston, South Carolina and spent 7 months working in a friend’s restaurant in order to fulfill that requirement. Upon graduating from culinary school, he worked at the Fairmont in Scottsdale first as a pastry cook, then a night baker, then head baker, and ultimately the pastry Sous Chef. He also taught Advanced Pastry and Classical Desserts at Phoenix College and Mesa Community College. He really likes the fact that ACI classes are every day as opposed to once a week in the community college setting. His favorite areas of specialty are cakes, showpieces, and working with rolled fondant.
Chef Meyer really enjoys working with students and likes the variety of ages of students here at ACI. Students in different age groups have different perspectives and he really appreciates that in his classes. His advice to new students is to be 100% certain that this is the industry that you want to get into. The nature of this industry encourages people to become workaholics and it is tough to find balance in your personal life. Knowing that you are passionate for the industry is what will carry you through those moments.
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