Meet Our Chefs
Brian Beland, Certified Master Chef and Culinary Arts Department Chair
Chef Beland holds a Bachelor Degree from the Michigan State University School of Hospitality Business, and an Associate Degree from the Culinary Institute of Arts at Hyde Park, New York.
Earning his Certified Master Chef (CMC) credential in 2010 from the American Culinary Federation (ACF), Chef Beland became one of the select few in the United States to achieve this level of culinary expertise. The ACF confirms there are only about 70 CMCs in the entire United States as of 2024. Schoolcraft College is very proud to have more CMCs on faculty than any other culinary school in the nation.
Adept in many culinary disciplines, Chef Brian has earned medals in competitions around the world, from professional ice-carving to Culinary Olympic events. Chef Beland was awarded the individual Gold Medal in Erfurt, Germany, the Gold Medal at the ACF National Chef of the Year competition, and he was on the Gold Medal winning Team (with Second Place Overall) at the inaugural Dubai Hospitality Championships. Chef Beland has also been awarded Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association (MCCA) Chef of the Year 2012, and Central Regional Chef of the Year in 2012.
Chef Beland served on the ACF Certification Commission, and he is also a member of the American Academy of Chefs Honor Society.
The majority of Chef Beland’s professional career includes private clubs and an on-going tenure as Executive Chef at the Country Club of Detroit.
Chef Beland has been on faculty with Schoolcraft College Culinary Arts since 2014, and he has been serving as our Culinary Arts Department Chair since 2021.
Christopher Misiak, Certified Executive Chef, Certified Culinary Educator, and Program Coordinator
Chef Chris has an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts from Schoolcraft College, and a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from Lawrence Technological University.
His career background includes professional catering and serving as Executive Chef at the Masonic Temple of Detroit. Chef Chris became involved with Schoolcraft College Culinary Arts in 1985, initially in the role of Assistant Food Service Director, and joining the ranks of our faculty in 1991.
Chef Chris earned his Certified Executive Chef (CEC) and Certified Culinary Educator (CCE) status both in 1996, and he earned the ACF President’s Medallion in 2009.
His work and leadership with special projects and innovation in culinary education, such as working with other culinary colleges, the Schoolcraft College Gourmet Club, ACF Hot Food Teams, the Knowledge Bowl, competition judging, becoming a national proctor for ServSafe™, and leading students to several regional and national championships – along with his consistent dedication to students – earned him the ACF National Chef Educator of the Year title in 2016.
Since 2017, he has coordinated and hosted every ACF Certified Master Chef exam for the nation’s top chefs.
He has also created and developed courses and curriculum in several culinary and culinary-related areas, leading the charge and ensuring competency requirements for our Associate Degree programs (with Culinary Arts or Culinary Baking & Pastry Arts), as well as our Bachelor Degree in Culinary & Dietary Operations Management degree, and the recent addition of a 1-year Culinary Skills Certificate program.
Chef Chris has been on faculty with Schoolcraft College Culinary Arts since 1991, and he has been serving as our Culinary Arts Department Program Coordinator since 2010.
Paul Grosz, Certified Executive Chef
Chef Paul identified love for cooking as a young child. Since that time, he has studied under several world-class chefs. He is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, and he has been able to personally study under chefs Jean Banchet, Paul François Pierre Bocuse, Pierre Orsi, Jean-Paul Lacombe at Léon de Lyon, and Jacques Maximin.
His experience includes Pastry through every kitchen culinary station. He served at Hyatt-Regency La Rotisserie, Oceanique of Chicago, and as Executive Chef for a decade at The Whitney in Detroit.
Chef Paul’s own acclaimed restaurant, Cuisine of Detroit, has been honored with several awards, including:
- 2002 Restaurant of the Year – Detroit Free Press
- 2005 Best French Restaurant – The Detroit News
- 2006 Best Restaurant – Real Detroit Weekly
- 2024 Classic Restaurant of the Year – Detroit Free Press Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers
- 2024 Sylvia Rector Lifetime Achievement Award for Hospitality
Chef Paul has been with our Culinary Arts faculty since 2010, and he serves as Executive Chef of the American Harvest restaurant here on site, where his students proudly prepare and serve their guests from the college and community.
Chef Paul is currently in examination to become a Certified Master Chef.
Marcus Haight, Certified Executive Chef & Certified Executive Pastry Chef
Chef Marcus has a wide variety of professional experience and education, with expertise he shares with students in the areas of Pastries, Butchery, Moist Heat, Dry Heat, and Chocolatier techniques.
He has studied in Paris, France Le Taillevent, at The French Pastry School of Chicago and at the Ewald Notter School.
Chef Marcus trained directly under Chef Guy Savoy, Ledoyen, Le Carre de Feuillants, Chef G.J. Bellouet, Joël Robuchon, Cédric Grolet, and White House Pastry Chef Roland Messier.
His career culinary posts include the historic Greenbrier Resort of West Virginia, La Maisonette in Cincinnati, La Française in Chicago, and Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia. Chef Marcus has held leadership positions at 4 of the 15 Mobil Travel Guide Five-Star Restaurants in the United States.
During his 17 years as Executive Chef at The Lark Restaurant in West Bloomfield, Michigan, The Lark was rated Best Restaurant in the United States by Condé Nast Traveler Magazine.
Chef Marcus has been serving on full time faculty with Schoolcraft College Culinary Arts since 2003.
Heather Moore, Certified Master Baker and Certified Executive Pastry Chef
Chef Heather holds a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University, and a Certificate in Culinary Baking and Pastry Arts from Schoolcraft College.
During her time at Schoolcraft Culinary, Chef Heather was selected to be the Sous Chef to award-winning Chef Joseph Decker, who is one of only 12 Certified Master Pastry Chefs in the country.
She has earned two distinguished credentials since graduation, Certified Executive Pastry Chef (CEPC) from the ACF, and Certified Master Baker (CMB) through the Retail Bakers of America. Now a Lead Judge for the Retail Bakers of America, she judges competitions, working with professional Bakers around the United States.
In her career, she has served in the role of Pastry Chef for several country clubs, restaurants, bakeries and cafes, and consulted on recipe development, menu design, and launch openings for a variety of establishments throughout the state of Michigan.
In her role as Director of Culinary Operations at Schoolcraft College, she supervised food and beverage service and sales for the Main Street Café, Henry’s Café, JC Café, the Livonia Medical Center, three Ocelot Markets, Masco, the Elite Market & Smoothie Bar, and for the events and conferences held at Schoolcraft.
Chef Heather has been teaching at Schoolcraft Culinary since 2009, and she joined our full time faculty in 2023.
Andrew Sayes, Certified Master Chef
Chef Drew holds an Associate Degree in Applied Science from the Culinary Studies Institute at Oakland Community College, where he was awarded the Leopold Schaeli Scholarship. Chef Drew was also selected for the Oakland Community College Outstanding Alumni Award in 2016, where he helped coach an mentor the Junior Hot Foods Team for 14 years.
Prior to joining Schoolcraft College, Chef Sayes was executive chef of Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Mich. He was also executive chef of the four-star four diamond property in Birmingham, Michigan, The Townsend Hotel. Before joining The Townsend Hotel, he was executive chef at the prestigious Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Georgia., as well as the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company. During his tenure with Ritz Carlton, Sayes served at various property locations throughout the U.S., including Dearborn, Michigan, Marina del Rey, California, New Orleans, Louisiana. and Buckhead, Georgia.
Sayes, who has had the privilege of working for some of the luxury dining industry’s best American chefs in classic food cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, New Orleans, and Atlanta, brings a focus on local, sustainable, fresh, quality, and most importantly, approachable foods.
“Fine dining doesn’t have to mean pretentious dining”, Chef Sayes takes pride in serving his guests only the finest quality products from his kitchen. He is an avid supporter of local farms and supporting sustainable practices. He focuses on regional cuisine rooted in French technique with approachable, unpretentious flavors. His approach to cuisine is “sophisticated, not complicated”.
Chef Drew is also a nationally certified Instructor and Proctor for ServSafe™, and he serves as Coach and Mentor of the Schoolcraft College Junior Hot Food Team.
He was selected as Chef of the Year by the Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association in 2014, and Chef of the Year for the Central Region American Culinary Federation in 2015.
In 2022, he earned his Certified Master Chef credential, becoming one of only approximately 70 in the nation.
Chef Drew has been teaching with Schoolcraft College Culinary Arts since 2021, and he joined our full-time faculty in 2022.
Jeffrey Gabriel, Certified Master Chef & Professor Emeritus
Chef Gabriel is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, following service in the U.S. Navy as a Baker aboard the USS Bryce Canyon.
After serving as Chef Garde Manger at the Detroit Athletic Club, he was the Executive Chef for the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, La Bécasse, Les Auteurs, The Little Club on Harsens Island, the Franklin Hills Country Club and Hucks Lakeshore.
The Farm Restaurant of Port Austin, Michigan, was founded by Chef Gabriel, where he served as Owner and Executive Chef for 17 years.
Chef Gabriel has been a member of several Culinary Olympic teams, and he has been awarded several Olympic Gold Medals – including two with Distinction. He has also been awarded 10 different Medals through the American Culinary Federation.
Chef Gabriel served on the full time faculty for Schoolcraft College Culinary Arts from 1987-2021, and he was awarded Professor Emeritus status later that same year.
Chef Gabriel continues to teach courses periodically during his retirement.
Part Time and Adjunct Faculty
Lisa Stanley, Certified Executive Pastry Chef
Margaret Fleming, Dining Instructor and Mâitre d’Hôtel
Kariann Fifer, BA, CSW, Certified Sommelier
Ted Wakar, Executive Chef, Professional Ice Carver
Stephen Valenti, CEC
Dalia Ayesh, RDN, LDN
Kara Terreault-Triplett, ESF
Jerome Lavis, PhD
Michael Rintz, JD Attorney
Michael Waldyke, MS
Sarah Fahrbach, RDN