Hi! I’m Chef Brianne Maggiore, but most know me as Chef Bree. I recently joined the staff here at Arizona Culinary Institute in the fall of 2020. I teach Basic Baking and Advanced Baking for both AM and PM classes, so you’ll find me in the kitchen at all hours! My interest in pastries started in middle school while watching various food shows on TV. I was fascinated by Graham Kerr, Martha Stewart, Julia Child, and many more. I started to collect different cookbooks and made as many recipes as I could. My softball teammates were my guinea pigs for new recipes, so I was nicknamed “Cookie Monster” by my coach. I got a softball scholarship to Scottsdale Community College after graduating high school, so attended the culinary program at SCC and obtained my associates degree in 2002. I also recently graduated from Grand Canyon University with my bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, so the learning has never stopped!
I got my first baking/pastry job at The Phoenician in 2002 and loved every minute of it. Working in a resort offers the opportunity to learn so many different things under one roof. One day I might be assembling afternoon tea pastries, then assisting in making 1,500 bread rolls for banquets, and finish my day by working in the fine dining restaurant plating up desserts. It was such a great opportunity to hone many skills at once. Shortly after I got married in 2005, I switched jobs and started working at The Four Seasons Resort in Scottsdale. I spent the next 14 years learning and moving up the ranks in the pastry kitchen. I was responsible for all wedding cakes, banquet buffets, plated dinners, special amenity requests, developing and executing holiday menus, and planning and making all the holiday displays for the lobby. One of my favorite holiday displays was a matching pair of 6-foot-tall edible nutcrackers, named Hans and Frans, who guarded the resort lobby. Getting to flex so many skills at The Four Seasons Resort really helped grow my knowledge and love for the pastry industry.
I’ve done a few cake competitions over the years, winning best in show, judges’ favorite flavor and bragging rights. In 2018 I made the top 12 finalists for the Albert Uster Pastry Cup and flew to Washington D.C. to compete with pastry chefs from all over the country. Sadly, I didn’t come out on top, but the things I learned about myself, the connections I formed, and new things I saw during those few days are something I cherish.
Having the opportunity to teach students about baking and pastry is a new challenge for me. I never thought I would end up as an instructor at a culinary school, but 2020 taught me to always keep my eyes and ears open for new paths. My journey in the industry has been an awesome ride so far, and I look forward to showing students how with passion and creativity, you can accomplish anything.
Chef Brianne Maggiore, BS.
Basic Baking, Advanced Baking Instructor