Jesse began his culinary career at the young age of 16, enrolling in a 2 year Culinary Arts vocational program as part of his high school education. During that time, he started his first job as a dishwasher and was quickly promoted to prep cook at a small Cajun restaurant in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jesse slowly realized how much more he enjoyed baking than cooking and became quite good at it.

Upon graduating with high honors, Jesse went on to study Baking & Pastry Arts at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. While a student there, Jesse competed in the state competition for SkillsUSA in Commercial Baking. He won 1st place and went on to the national competition and placed 4th overall in the country. Jesse also was the President of the Pastry Arts Club, Associate director for the Special Functions Club, teaching assistant in the Culinary Events Department and also apprenticed with the United States Culinary Olympic Team. Jesse was also afforded an opportunity to apprentice at The Walt Disney World Resort at Hollywood Studios.

Upon graduating JWU in 2010, Jesse moved to Boston, MA and was part of the opening team for Isabelle’s CurlyCakes, a cupcake bakery, part of the Todd English Enterprises restaurant group. Jesse also started a small pastry catering business called Perfection Pastry, on the side, doing small dinner parties and special occasion cakes and baked goods.

After a year, Jesse decided to further is education and enrolled at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, his home town, for another degree in Baking & Pastry Arts. Shortly after an apprenticeship at the Waldorf Astoria at The Boca Raton Resort, Jesse graduated with honors in 2013 and moved back to Boston to begin working as a pastry cook at Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks, a Boston staple. Jesse’s career took off after that. Just a year and a half later, he accepted the position of Pastry Chef at Dune Restaurant on Nantucket and simultaneously took on the position of Head Chef at Meursault Wine Bar, directly next door. Jesse returned to Boston in the fall of 2014 as Head Pastry Chef of Troquet Restaurant, a small fine dining French restaurant in the Theater district. At the pinnacle of Jesse’s career, he was offered the position of Executive Pastry Chef at No.9 Park, one of Boston’s and the country’s most esteemed restaurants. After 2 years at the helm, Jesse decided to take the leap and start his own business called Fedora Doughnuts, a specialty doughnut and coffee catering concept with plans to open a brick & mortar location. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Fedora Doughnuts had to cease operations mid-2020, however, shortly afterwards Jesse made a career shift into the Culinary Education field and accepted an offer to become a Baking & Pastry Chef Instructor at The Culinary Institute of America. A position he’s been preparing for his entire career.