Meet Amanda Barnett

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Barnett. 

Amanda, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My career began as an elementary and middle school English teacher. When I first started teaching, I began an after-school cooking club. We met weekly in the teachers’ lounge, and I taught students how to cook on donated hot plates. I also partnered with the neighborhood organization to build and use a school garden with students. We learned about fresh produce and herbs and used those in our cooking as well. After years of running cooking club, I realized I had way more fun planning for and teaching that, so I decided I wanted to pursue that full-time. It was then that I left teaching to attend culinary school at the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education at Grand Rapids Community College. My goal was to learn everything I possibly could, and that I did! I graduated valedictorian with degrees in Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry, and Personal Chef. All while working long hours in restaurants and teaching cooking classes around Grand Rapids! I have worked at a number of restaurants around Grand Rapids as a prep cook, line cook, and pastry chef. Currently, I teach cooking classes through Spectrum Health and I cook weekly meals for clients at Root Functional Medicine. In addition, I run my own personal chef business. I do weekly meal prep for clients as well as teach in-home cooking classes. Additionally, I run a baking business and design and create all kinds of delicious treats for customers! My big dream is still to run full-time after-school culinary programs for youth, and I am still working to find partners and funding for that dream as well.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My culinary journey has been full of both struggles and immense support.

Leaving a secure, full-time teaching job to pursue my dreams felt so scary at first, and a lot of days it still is! My mind is often filled with doubt and comparisons– especially since so many people I work with have been in this field much longer than I have! There are also financial struggles. I paid my own way through culinary school, and I now work in a field where the pay is much less than in education. Working to build your own business costs a lot upfront, and I really have to hustle to keep things secure financially. Since I want to run a non-profit after-school culinary program, I also am working on finding donors, partners, and funding to support that dream as well.

Speaking of an after-school culinary program– the pandemic put a halt on that dream, and it has been tricky navigating how this could look going forward. Many schools and currently-existing after-school programs have been hesitant about starting new programs and about letting non-staff into buildings, and many grant-funded programs have been paused due to the uncertainty of the state of the world right now. But I continue dreaming and planning because I still believe this big dream of mine will become reality one day.

The pandemic was hard on many of us, and I realized through it that having creative outlets is so good for my mental health. Having a career that allows me to dream up beautiful and delicious food creations every day has helped me enjoy each day more.

I could not do this alone. From my parents and friends always encouraging me, to friends in the industry offering me jobs to get more experience to the chefs at Secchia offering me guidance and opportunities, I have been so lucky to be surrounded by so many people who see my passion and support me in reaching my goals and who constantly remind me that this dream of mine is a good one and that I am capable of accomplishing it.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a chef, I do all sorts of fun things! From baking pastries to meal prepping to teaching cooking classes, I love to cook with and for others. The thing that sets me apart from others the most is my passion for teaching. As an English teacher turned chef, I love to learn, and I love to share that knowledge with others. I love to help others feel more comfortable in their own kitchens and build skills they can have fun with and carry with them for a lifetime. I especially love to work with children and help them see the connection between where their food comes from and how it looks and tastes on their plates.

In my career, the thing I am most proud of is my drive to push myself and take chances even when it’s scary. I left teaching to go to culinary school, and I continue to push myself by taking jobs I know I can learn a lot from (like being the pastry chef at Brewery Vivant for a while) and participating in cooking competitions. My most recent challenge to myself was to officially register my own business offering personal chef and baking services. All of these things introduce me to new people and offer me new opportunities to learn and grow.

What matters most to you? Why?
My biggest passion is to teach others– youth in particular. I love to provide knowledge of food and nutrition and teach cooking skills to others to help them lead more independent and healthier lifestyles– and to show them that cooking is fun! Many people don’t have access to fresh, whole foods and often don’t know how to use them. My goal is to help build access to these things and teach others how to use them. I love to help others feel more confident in their own home kitchens and to tap into creative abilities already within them!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @chefamandabarnett

Image Credits
Natalie DeVries