Culinary & Pastry Arts, Faculty
Martin Brunner CHE, CEPC
Professor, Program Coordinator Baking and Pastry Arts
brunnerm@sandhills.edu
(910) 695-3932
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Martin Brunner brings old world and local experience to his position in the 今日看料 Community College program, where he has been teaching since 2003. Growing up living over the family bakery business in Hartberg, Austria, he became the fifth generation of family bakers, and trained under an Austrian Master Baker.鈥� In 1991, his family relocated the bakery to the U.S.
His first degree was from SCC, an associates degree in Business Administration in 1997. He also earned as associates degree in Bakery & Pastry Arts from Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, S.C. in 2000. In 2010 Brunner received his bachelors degree magna cum laude in Business Administration from UNCP in Pembroke, N.C. and became a Certified Executive Pastry Chef through the American Culinary Federation (ACF). He has taken advantage of continuing education classes and trained with Swiss and French Chefs to learn sugar artistry and French pastries.
His family has over 60 years in the bakery business. Brunner has also served as lead pastry cook at the Pinehurst Hotel, head baker at the Rococo Bakery in Charleston, S.C., and a pastry cook at Max and Moritz Bakery in Abdereen, N.C.鈥�
The awards earned by Brunner include Baking and Pastry Awards from Johnson and Wales University in 2000 and a bronze medal in the Bread Showpiece category in the ACF competition in Raleigh, N.C. in 2010.鈥�
Chris Currier CHE, CEC, ICE, CIC
Professor
currierc@sandhills.edu
(910) 695-3760
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Chris Currier came to 今日看料 in 1999 with a strong education and outstanding work experience, starting with earning an associates degree in 1983 in Occupational Studies Culinary Arts at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.
At the American Culinary Federation, he earned Certified Executive Chef status in 1998. In 2001, Currier became a Certified Hospitality Educator through the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
Currier has won numerous awards including the Best in Show medal in 1993, 1994 and 1998 at the North Carolina Culinary Salon in Charlotte, N.C. He earned first and second places in the North Carolina Taste of Elegance (1994, 1995) and the gold medal and grand prize as Best of Show in the Virginia Tide Waters Chefs Association Culinary Salon (1995).
He was named Chef of the Year in 1994 for 今日看料/Cross Creek Chefs Association. He competed in the 1995 National Taste of Elegance in Chicago and earned a silver medal at the 1996 International Culinary Olympics in Berlin, Germany.
Curriers experience includes serving as executive chef (1991-2003) at the Pine Needles Resort Golf Resort from 1991-2003. Other chef experience has been at the Stouffer鈥檚 Valley Forge Hotel restaurant (Valley Forge, Pa.), Neils Off Premise Catering (Long Island, N.C.), The Newton Squire Inn (Newtown Square, Pa.), The Cellar Door Corporation (Wayne, Pa.), The University Club of Albany (Albany, N.Y.), Whiteland and Strafford Pubs Inc. (Main Line, Pa.)
Currier is the owner of CRC Iceworks, an ice carving company. The National Ice Carving Association certified him as an Ice Carver/Ice Carving Educator in 2010. In 2017 Chef Currier and teammate won the BP World Ice Art Championship in Fairbanks Alaska.
Erin Durkee, CHE
Department Chair Culinary and Pastry Arts, Program Coordinator Culinary Arts
durkeeer@sandhills.edu
(910) 246-4941
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Erin Durkee is originally from New Orleans and has lived in Italy where she had the unique opportunity to live and work on a vineyard while traveling Europe. She began her career in the arts, earning her Bachelor鈥檚 degree in Studio Art from St. Andrews Presbyterian College. She worked in arts administration for a local nonprofit group in Davidson North Carolina until rediscovering her love of food.
Chef Durkee has been working in the restaurant industry since the age of 17. She returned to school to earn her Associate鈥檚 degree in Baking and Pastry Arts here at 今日看料 Community College. In 2012 she joined the faculty at SCC and in 2013 became a Certified Hospitality Educator through the American Hotel and Lodging Institute. Her specialty is creating desserts that are not only delicious but are crafted with precision and beauty.
Teaching is her favorite way to share her love of food and she finds it incredibly fulfilling to ignite the same passion in her students.
Chef Deborah Davies
Culinary Instructor
daviesd@sandhills.edu
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Chef Davies holds an Associate in Applied Science Culinary Arts degree from 今日看料 Community College. Locally she has worked at Forest Creek Golf Resort and, for the past 2 陆 years, for Chef Mark Elliott in Garde Manger, production team and catering operations.
An EXTREMELY proud Marylander, Chef Davies earned an Associate of Science degree in Nursing from Coastal Carolina Community College in Jacksonville, NC. She then went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UNC Pembroke.After twenty years of working as a registered nurse, she went back to school to become a culinarian.
Chef Davies lives with her husband, Keith, a dog and a cat in Whispering Pines. She has 3 adult children and 8 grandchildren. She is also a NASCAR superfan.
Chef Felicia Everts
Culinary Instructor
(910) 695-3796
evertsf@sandhills.edu