Celtic Cuisine Bios and Schedule

Chef Joanna Bryant is a native of Denison, Texas.  She has been the Executive Chef and Lead Chef Instructor at Grayson College for 13 years.  She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Babson College concentrating in entrepreneurship and finance.  She then received her Associates Degree of Occupational Studies in Culinary Arts from the California Culinary Academy- Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco. She also received an Executive Masters in Hospitality Administration from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.  Chef Bryant is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Education specializing in higher education at Texas A & M Commerce.  She has kitchen experience in fine dining, casual dining, buffets, and catering in San Francisco, Dallas, and Denison.  She is a current member of the Dallas Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International. She is an ACF Certified Chef De Cuisine and Culinary Educator, a voting professional founding member of the Red River Chapter of the Texas Chef’s Association (and past Chapter Director), and a current ACF member.  Chef Bryant is a two-time Grayson College Minnie Piper Stevens Professor Nominee, the Julia Child Fund at the Boston Foundation Independent Study Grant recipient for 2015, a grant from the American Association of University Women, and a Leavey Award for Free Enterprise Education.  Chef Bryant was the 2018 Texas Chefs Association Educator of the Year. She went on to be named as the 2019 Central Region Chef Educator of the Year and competed as a top four Chef Educators of the Year in the United States at the 2019 ACF National Convention in Orlando. She is also a two-time recipient of the Red River TCA Chapter Chef of the Year.

Chef Bill Bush lives in the Dallas area and has been in the foodservice industry for over 25 years. He has been an executive chef in numerous hotels, convention centers, and even the world famous Southfork Ranch! Chef Bush specializes in private catering and ice carving. He is a current professional member of the American Culinary Federation and Texas Chefs Association.

Lauren Aleman is a graduate from the Grayson Culinary Arts program and a proud Denison Yellowjacket.  She is a member of the Texas Chefs Association, the American Culinary Federation and an active member of our local Red River chapter.  She is very active in culinary competitions. She has won many medals and awards as both a professional and a student. She has many years working in the hospitality industry as a line cook, pastry chef, executive pastry chef and chef instructor. In 2022 she was named Texas Pastry Chef of the Year by the Texas Chefs Association. She competed at the national qualifier and achieved the top score in the central region which landed her a top four pastry chef spot at the national level.