Hello! I am Chef Tyler Romine and I teach Basic Culinary Arts at Arizona Culinary Institute. My passion for the industry traces all the way back to my early childhood days. My first memories in the kitchen are of helping my mother with dinner preparations at the ripe old age of 3. I knew early on that I would find a career in the hospitality industry one way or another. However, life took me in a bit of a different direction through my college years. I received my Bachelor’s of Science in Primate Behavior from The Ohio State University. Though I kept side jobs in restaurants through it all, for the the better portion of a decade I had the privilege of collecting data at zoos, caring for animals at sanctuaries and running a world-class cognitive research facility for great apes. But like they say, all good things come to an end. In 2012, when that career had run its course, I found Arizona Culinary Institute, and the rest is history.
For over 20 years, I’ve held pretty much every position in the industry, from fast food to fine dining, from dishwasher to executive chef. A few years after graduating culinary school, my childhood friend and his wife brought me on to assist in opening a restaurant as executive chef/owner in our hometown of Bismarck, North Dakota. It was there that I realized my future was in teaching. Whether it was educating the viewing audience about the simplicity of food through my weekly appearances on the local morning show or training new hires to make the best scones this side of the Mississippi, I loved sharing my knowledge and fostering growth in others.
If there is one thing this career has taught me it is to be fearless, be adventurous. Step outside your comfort zone; in those spaces of discomfort is where we achieve the most growth. What have you got to lose? At the end of the day, it’s just cooking, and what’s the worst that can happen? Take a shot at that souffle, perfect that pastry, filet that fish, and call me if you need a life line! Best wishes for great dishes!
Chef Tyler Romine
Instructor Arizona Culinary Institute