MicKenzie Matarese

Culinary Arts

MicKenzie Matarese is a SEED Scholarship recipient in the culinary arts program at Delaware Tech’s Terry Campus in Dover.

“I did not think college would be in the cards for me because I was worried about saving up the money needed to pay for tuition. Thanks to the SEED Scholarship program, I can attend college, receive my degree, and work comfortably.”

It was important for Matarese to enroll in college because she realized the advantages that come with studying culinary arts in an educational setting to gain the necessary knowledge and experience needed to thrive in the culinary field.  She also acknowledged the importance of networking that the culinary arts program is able to provide for its students.

There were many factors that solidified Matarese’s decision to attend Delaware Tech. The SEED Scholarship program was the most important factor because it relieved her financial worries, but she also valued how her friends, who are current students of Delaware Tech, spoke highly of the College.

Matarese’s interest in pursuing a career in culinary arts can be traced back to her high school alma mater, POLYTECH High School. Her interest heightened when she learned that working in the culinary field gives you the ability to pursue other career options that don’t limit you to working as a chef in a restaurant.

“There are also opportunities to travel and see the world with these skills, like being a chef on a cruise ship, or being a part of someone’s special day as a wedding caterer,” Matarese said. “I also learned that there’s a possibility to teach in this field and become a culinary arts instructor, which is what I would like to do in the future.”

Since beginning her academic journey at Delaware Tech, Matarese has seen herself become more goal-oriented and productive by maintaining a regular schedule to help stay on track with her responsibilities. As a result, this has led her to become more successful in her studies.

However, balancing her responsibilities between school, work, and keeping up with paying bills can remain a struggle at times. 

“I am at a stage in my life where I have to keep up with payments while working enough hours to ensure that ends meet. The best thing I have done to help push through is to make a schedule that also carves out time to keep up with family, friends, and volunteering.”

Matarese always keeps a positive attitude by reminding herself that things will work out in the end. This helps her maintain her focus on becoming a culinary arts teacher at a high school so that she can help other students also find their passion.