The Story of Bloomin' Chef

Hi! My name is Mareesa Ahmad and I am the founder of Bloomin' Chef (formerly known as Culinary Sprouts)!

 

I grew up in a small town of Harlan, Kentucky with my Bangladeshi immigrant parents. From a young age, they always encouraged me to help in the kitchen. It started off with simple tasks like stirring and assembly. Slowly, but surely, I progressed and picked up knife skills and even got experienced with the stove and oven by age 12!

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Growing up, I was surrounded by kids who didn't have cooking skills and instead ate many meals out. Cooking and eating in with the family has not only proven to be more cost effective, but it is also healthier. That's why in high school, I decided to make a difference and start to offer cooking lessons to the kids in my community.

 

After earning degrees from Wake Forest University and 
Babson College and with all the communication and entrepreneurial skills I gained from these schools, Culinary Sprouts started to take roots and grow!

 

I have taught 550+ students the joys of healthy cooking since 2014 in my hometown of Harlan, Kentucky while also testing recipes and writing blogs for ChopChop Magazine, SpoonUniversity, and The Publisher Desk. I want to continue teaching more kids the importance of cooking because it is an essential life skill and should be learned as early as possible.​

 

Even though we are Bloomin' Chef now, we are still the same great company that was Culinary Sprouts. We've helped children across four different continents gain

more independence and confidence in the kitchen and we cannot wait to get started with your Bloomin' Chefs!

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Let's whisk up some fun!