TCTC success story returns to teach restaurant program
Most of us know Tiffany Daley by now, thanks to her restaurant in Sharpsville and her frequent TV appearances, she had to get her start somewhere. It all began at the Trumbull Career and Technical Center in a program she's now teaching.
Most of us know Tiffany Daley by now, thanks to her restaurant in Sharpsville and her frequent TV appearances, she had to get her start somewhere. It all began at the Trumbull Career and Technical Center in a program she's now teaching.
It's a busy kitchen and Tiffany Daley's right in the middle of it, but this isn't Breakfast at Tiffany's; it's the Restaurant Services program at TCTC and Daley is teaching.
"If you would have asked me two years ago even, 'Would you ever be an instructor or a teacher at TCTC or anywhere?' I would have said no. No way. I don't have time," said Daley.
Her whole life she wanted to open her own restaurant and she did; a very successful one, too. But a few years ago she started substitute teaching in this program and something clicked.
"The longer I was here the more I realized it was a passion that I didn't know existed," said Daley.
A couple weeks ago she earned the job full-time. She's still very much involved with Breakfast at Tiffany's, but is now following this path as well.
"I have almost mastered the skill of juggling everything," said Daley. "Almost."
Now it's all come full circle and she's right back where it all began, teaching perhaps the next great chef here in the Valley.
"Tiffany is definitely the poster child of what we want the TCTC experience and end result to be. So the fact that she took the skills that she learned here and not only got a job and did well but opened her own business and it's successful is kind of the ultimate that we want our students to strive for," said TCTC Academic Supervisor Cara DeToro.
Students that, a couple hundred times a day, now yell out for "Miss Daley" in the kitchen.
"It's very inspiring. Shes like a role model to me," said Maelin Starkey.
"She's added a lot of pizzazz for one," said Paige Pasquarella. "She's very enthusiastic."
"Learning new stuff, different stuff from her restaurant. She brings it into here," said Sarah Hall.
For Tiffany it's a new challenge and a chance to work alongside one of her mentors, Mr. Antenucci, but also a way to make an impact on kids that are walking the same path she once did in this very kitchen.
"I'm meant to do this right now. I feel that this is what I'm meant to do. I'm meant to mentor these kids, to teach these kids," said Daley. "My mentors, Mr. Antenucci and Mrs. Gillis. Now I'm working alongside Mr. Antenucci. I hope to impact the kids like he has."
Cooking up something pretty special in the kitchen at TCTC.
The school actually has a restaurant called "The Cove" that's open for lunch service in case you want to go check out what her students are cooking up in person.
