Katy Waltz, an assistant professor of baking and pastry at Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), is making waves in the culinary world. Recently honored as the Pastry Chef of the Year at the West Michigan Food and Beverage Awards, Waltz’s journey is a perfect blend of passion, hard work and dedication to the art of pastry and the craft of teaching.
“I started off really young with science fair projects way back in elementary school just trying to figure out how baking works,” she said. “My mom always baked a ton of cookies, so I probably got some of that from her.”
Waltz earned a bachelor's degree from Purdue University, followed by a Certificate in Culinary Arts from College of Coastal Georgia. Her passion took her all over the United States from Alaska to Georgia, Oregon and finally Michigan.
“At Purdue, I met a chef who encouraged me to learn the back-of-house side of things. That led me to do an internship in Alaska at a bakery,” she said. “After graduating, I completed a three-year apprenticeship at a five-star, five-diamond restaurant in Georgia.”
After years of honing her skills in high-end restaurants, Waltz returned to Grand Rapids in 2014 where she would later embrace a new challenge — teaching. She joined GRCC as an assistant professor in the Baking and Pastry program in 2024, which allowed her to blend her expertise with her desire to inspire the next generation of pastry chefs.
“Once I came back to Grand Rapids, I started working at Brewery Vivant. I was there for six years and I had the freedom to create a pastry program from the ground up,” she said. “It was there that I realized my true passion was for teaching. I wanted to help people grow their skills. Then I spent the next three years at the Grove which only further solidified it for me.”
Last month, Waltz was thrilled to be nominated for the West Michigan Food and Beverage Awards’ Pastry Chef of the Year, alongside fellow GRCC faculty Chef Waller and Doug Oor.
“It was an honor just to be nominated,” she said. “But when I found out I won, it was overwhelming. It felt like all the hard work I’ve put in over the years was finally being recognized.”
Waltz is proud of the impact she’s made on Grand Rapids’ pastry scene and plans to continue her journey of growth and sharing knowledge. “Winning the award was a huge moment for me, but now I’m looking forward to gaining more experiences that I can bring back to my students. I want to travel, attend conferences and learn from others to develop more engaging classes here at GRCC,” she said.
It took Waltz twenty years to become the pastry chef she is today. Her advice to aspiring pastry chefs? “Take it slow and learn as much as you can,” Waltz says. “Everyone is so eager to start their own business or to become head pastry chef right away, but it’s important to learn as much as you can along the way. If you take your time to build your skills, you’ll be more prepared for those leadership roles in the future,” she said.
Waltz’s recognition as Pastry Chef of the Year serves as a testament to the rewards of hard work and dedication. As she continues to teach and grow, she remains dedicated to shaping the next generation of pastry professionals at GRCC and beyond.
Story reported by Jada Reahm