The Chef Behind The Table

Meet Chef Regina

Before I found my love for cooking, I needed a reason to show up to school. I hated high school and missed so much that my mother nearly got in trouble over my attendance. I needed an outlet — something that made the day feel different. Looking through the programs at McKenzie Career Center, culinary arts caught my attention. At first, it wasn't because I dreamed of becoming a chef. I liked to eat, and getting a different lunch from the one at school sounded like a bonus. What I found was much bigger than lunch. I loved the program.

I still remember making a spinach and apple dish in our student restaurant. A customer raved about it, and I felt the joy of knowing something I'd created had made someone else happy. I've wanted to give every guest I cook for that feeling ever since. After high school, I studied culinary arts at Ivy Tech Community College and learned from every job I took in the food industry. My chef instructor, Chef Anthony Blackburn, nicknamed me "Queen Bee" for the way I led in the kitchen — even stepping up to help when things got chaotic. It stuck. When I started my catering company, Queen Bee Kitchen was the perfect name.

Today, I care about every part of the experience, from flavor to presentation. I still want to create the kind of moment that first customer gave me: someone taking a bite and being excited to tell me how much they loved it. I also love teaching and inspiring the next generation — when a young person tells me they dream of cooking, I want to show them what's possible and help them see there's more than one path forward. McKenzie Career Center gave me that opportunity, and I'll always be grateful for where my story began.

Chef Regina Whittington