Melanie UnderwoodMelanie Underwood

Melanie has worked as a Culinary Educator for 25 years, teaching at The Institute of Culinary Education in NYC in the Professional Pastry and Baking program and in recreational and kids classes. For the past four years, she has taught high school culinary and baking arts in a Career and Technical Education Department. Passionate, engaging, and committed to her student's growth, she thrives by connecting with others and teaching them techniques and how to develop confidence, creativity, and calm in the kitchen. From Melanie, “I’ve observed time and again the many ways learning to cook and bake enriches lives - connecting with oneself, friends, and family to creating community, to developing self-confidence. ” 

Melanie’s enthusiasm for fresh and organic food developed as a child on her family farm in Loudoun County, Virginia, where she began cooking at age four with her grandparents. Her grandmother,, taught her to bake with intuition and discernment. Her grandfather, Charlie, would invite the community over for butchering in the winter, and canning in the summer, and these roots of connections began to solidify. Her family instilled this appreciation of food, family, and friends. She began working at a bakery in high school but never considered this a career choice. Quickly realizing this was the ONLY career choice. She apprenticed in Washington, D.C., before moving to New York, where she opened The Four Seasons Hotel and worked at The Plaza Hotel, Torre di Pisa, and other celebrated New York City restaurants. 

In 1996 she transitioned to teaching and found her true passion as a cooking and baking instructor for professional and recreational programs at the Institute of Culinary Education while also teaching private cooking classes, and speaking about cooking, creativity, and how to bring it to the workplace. Her book, Making Artisan Cheesecake, was published in 2015 (Quarto Books), and she has been a contributor to numerous cookbooks.

Melanie is currently working on her next book, Rule Breaking Baking - Baking without Recipes. She continues to teach, host culinary retreats, and kids camps.