Community Highlights: Meet Tiera Aguillon of Mise En Place Cooking Studio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiera Aguillon.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
If you asked my family, they’d tell you I was the kid crying over math homework and finding any excuse to be creative instead! Food became my creative outlet early on. Because of my dad’s job, we traveled constantly as kids. We spent our time exploring local markets and regional restaurants, and I fell in love with how food connects people across cultures.

After feeling a bit directionless early in college, I enrolled in culinary school and instantly found my calling. I fell in love with the high-energy chaos, the camaraderie, and the art of cooking. That led to years working on the line at luxury resorts like Sea Island and The Ritz-Carlton, where I worked my way up, learned from amazing chefs, and experienced the true intensity of line cooking (The Bear level intensity!).

Looking to avoid ultimate burnout, I took a chance on teaching a single college culinary class. I was hooked immediately. I soon transitioned into teaching High School Culinary Arts, where my students’ pure enthusiasm for cooking keeps me inspired every single day. Along the way, I also taught evening cooking classes for adults and coached high school sports (boys’ soccer, girls’ flag football, and varsity tennis!).

All of those experiences—the line cooking, the coaching, the teaching, and the love for community—led to opening Mise en Place Cooking Studio in Downtown Roswell in December 2025. It’s a space built on fellowship, learning new skills, and sharing good times around the kitchen counter, and I couldn’t be more grateful to share it with our town!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Yes and no.

On one hand, no, because for a long time early in my career, I felt pretty lost. I didn’t grow up with a master plan to become a chef or an entrepreneur. But once I landed in a kitchen, I realized I naturally ‘got it.’ The flow, the ticket systems, the rhythm of the line—it just clicked for me. Because I’m a natural workhorse and hyper-organized, I rose through the ranks in fine dining really quickly. But running on high gear meant I didn’t take much time to pause and ask myself, ‘Is this actually what I want for my life?’

On top of that, I come from a family of brilliant people who went to top-tier universities, so for a while, I felt like the black sheep of the family because I chose a non-traditional path through culinary school instead.

But on the other hand, yes, it’s been smooth in the sense that I truly believe everything unfolded exactly the way it was supposed to. Those high-pressure early years gave me the ironclad confidence I have today about food, dining experiences, and kitchen systems. More than that, those hard-earned years gave me lifelong friends, incredible mentors, and a deep appreciation for the community that built me.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What We Do: We specialize in approachable, high-skill culinary and baking workshops with a heavy international focus—think fresh sushi making, artisanal sourdough, authentic Korean BBQ, street food classics, and elevated pastry techniques.

What Sets Us Apart: We are deeply rooted in local collaboration. We partner with local farmers, guest chefs, pastry creators, and artisans to co-host workshops, giving our guests a unique peek into the local food scene while supporting neighboring small businesses.

What We’re Most Proud Of: Building genuine community! People walk in as strangers and leave as friends. It’s incredible how often connections are made over our cooking stations—whether it’s finding a new friend, a business contact, or just sharing a great meal together.

What Readers Should Know: You don’t need any prior kitchen experience to join us! We provide a warm, encouraging environment where you can learn real culinary skills, enjoy amazing food, and be part of something special.”

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Even though I’m in front of crowds teaching, talking, and hosting all week long, I’m naturally super reserved. People see me teaching at Mise en Place and think I’m an extreme extrovert, but my social battery actually runs out fast. After a busy week, I need quiet days to decompress and recharge—which usually means staying home in total peace with my animals.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://misenplacestudio.com/