Culinary alumna thriving at Snuff Mill Restaurant, Butchery and Wine Bar

March 14, 2023

Alice Brody is thriving in the kitchen at Snuff Mill Restaurant, Butchery and Wine Bar in North Wilmington.

She graduated from our 14-week culinary training program, The Culinary School, in December 2022 and says the program helped open doors for her and gave her direction.

“Alice was a very determined student,” said her Chef Instructor Chris Montgomery. “She was a joy to have in class. Her disposition and sense of humor made the days enjoyable.  The success she is finding makes me happy beyond words.”

Alice entered the training program without formal kitchen experience. “When you don’t have anything on your resume, you don’t get hired,” she explained. “I wouldn’t be here without it [the culinary training program].”

She says if she had not found the culinary training program at the Food Bank, she would most likely be doing “nothing.”

“It gave me direction in my life,” she explains.

The training program was exactly what she needed to gain experience, confidence and a career.

Under the instruction of Chef Chris, Alice and her classmates developed their kitchen skills; they covered proper knife techniques, sauteeing, braising, baking, the five mother sauces and much more. Each class ends with a two-week work experience at a local food service company. Alice was placed at Snuff Mill.

What started as a two-week work experience has turned into a career for her. “I did my internship here and they kept me,” she explained.

Alice made a good impression. “I started as a prep cook and when somebody quit, I got promoted,” she said.

Alice “loves” her job as a pantry chef. She says the people are the best part of Snuff Mill. Led by renowned chef, Robert Lhulier, Alice says the team is “passionate about what they do.”

As a pantry chef, Alice is responsible for preparing cold items like salads and appetizers. Her favorite menu item to prepare? The wagyu beef carpaccio. This dish features tangy garlic dressing, shallot, capers, grana padana, microarugula and blacktruffle salt.

The team works well together, and that’s important, because Alice says Snuff Mill is always busy; “It’s overwhelming some nights, but you make it through. I work closely with everyone.”

Alice hopes to grow with Snuff Mill. A year from now, her goal is to be working the sauté station.

For now, she is learning as much as she can and giving back to current Food Bank of Delaware culinary students. Last week, she visited and helped prepare lunch for the Discover Cafe.

Her advice to the current class:

“Students here are lucky because they use cutting gloves. Once you get out there, just make peace with cutting and burning yourself, those scars are going to make good stories.”

Interested in a career in the food service industry? The next 14-week training program of The Culinary School starts on May 15 at the Food Bank’s Newark facility. Click here to learn more.