Today we’d like to introduce you to Cody Alvarez.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Cody. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I made my first cake when I was 17. I actually can’t remember a time that I didn’t want to be a pastry/cake artist. Growing up in upstate NY miles from The Culinary Institute of America it was an easy decision to choose to continue my education there after high school. In 2006, I graduated from the world’s premier culinary college with my Bachelor’s Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts Management.
I spent my first few years out of culinary school as a dining manager at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. What a wonderful experience it was to work in the NYC restaurant scene. Deciding to slow the pace a bit, I moved back Upstate where I took some time off to have my son. With a new baby in the mix, I really began to think about where I wanted my career to go.
I soon found myself at Marist College as the Dining Director for the residents on campus. Here I also met a close friend and mentor, Executive Chef Anthony Legname, who helped reignite my passion for baking and pastry arts. I transferred back into the kitchen and before I knew it, I was running the pastry department at the college as the Executive Pastry Chef. Together we spent almost 5 years there perfecting my skills, teaching, competing in culinary competitions and building creative menus.
So how did I end up in Atlanta? It was actually a major family migration that brought me here. With my mom in Long Island and my dad in Colorado, we all decided to make the move to be closer to my sister, brother-in-law and new niece who had already been in the Atlanta area for years. It was challenging to leave a job and mentor that brought me back to my love of baking, as well as, leave the place I grew up in. But my family support and a fresh start was enough motivation to bring my son and myself here.
I spent my first year and a half as an Executive Chef Manager for a business dining sector of Compass Group in Alpharetta, Ga. But it was in May of 2017 that I found myself at Amélie’s French Bakery & Café in west midtown Atlanta.
Has it been a smooth road?
My road here has been about as smooth as the Atlanta traffic I find myself caught in almost every day. I found myself faced with many challenges especially the challenge of finding out where I would find myself fitting in here and adapting to the southern culture. Everything moves a bit slower here yet everyone is very welcoming and pleasant.
I can definitely say that being able to go to work every day and be proud of the quality products, my pastry and kitchen teams put together, plus the smiles of my front of house staff is enough for me to battle the roads here daily. We have a fabulous team here that really focuses on and fosters the values set forth by our company. I look forward to the journey ahead for Amélie’s French Bakery & Café here in the Atlanta area.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Amélie’s French Bakery & Café – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
The Mission Statement here at Amélie’s French Bakery & Café is “To foster a feast for the senses and unique experience for each and every person that walks through our doors. We aim to inspire, challenge, comfort and nourish while creating community and fellowship.”
As the General Manager here, I was finally able to combine my love of pastry arts with my management experience. At our location, we offer two private event spaces available for catering services, as well as, daily bistro breakfast and lunch including all house-made soups, and of course, house-made pastries including cakes, French macarons, tarts and our well known salted caramel brownies.
Contact Info:
- Address: 840 Marietta St. NW Atlanta, GA 30318
- Website: http://www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com/
- Phone: (404) 921-0276
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ameliesfrenchbakery
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmeliesFrenchBakery
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmeliesBakery
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/am%C3%A9lies-french-bakery-and-caf%C3%A9-atlanta
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