In this episode, we had the pleasure of chatting with Chef Catherine Pippitt, a certified pastry chef and dedicated part-time faculty member in the Culinary Arts program at Madison College. Our conversation delved into Cat's wealth of experience as a culinary arts educator, spotlighting her approaches to nurturing student teamwork and collaboration. We also explored the influence of popular cooking shows on her students and her teaching methods. Additionally, Cat shared some career highlights and the transformative impact of her professional development experiences at Madison College. And, of course, she generously revealed her secrets to crafting an exceptional pie!
Chef Catherine (Cat) Pippitt got her pastry start rolling Play-Doh on a cutting board and has always loved to bake. Originally a very picky eater, she began to expand her palate after college and got really excited about food after a few great experiences in fine dining. Cat is an alumna of Madison College, graduating in 2000 from the Culinary Arts program. She returned to work as a lab assistant in the Baking & Pastry Arts program in 2003, got gently distracted pursuing a degree in the Court Reporting program in 2005, and finally returned to teach in the Culinary program in 2014. Cat earned her Certified Working Pastry Chef certification with the American Culinary Federation in 2017. She loves building her pastry skills, especially with in-person and online courses from the French Pastry School in Chicago. She also works at Wisconsin Cutlery and Kitchen Supply, selling great kitchen gear and sharpening knives, scissors, and garden tools. Cat lives in Madison with her husband Jim, and their two wily dogs, Lili and Buddy.
