Michelle Boland was first introduced to the pastry world at Johnson & Wales University, in Providence, Rhode Island, where she earned a degree in Applied Science in Baking & Pastry Arts. While attending J&W, she was taught everything from basic desserts, sugar sculpting and chocolate, to breads, French pastries and buffets.

After college, she began her career as a baker at Eat Cake! in the seaside town of Newburyport. She then moved on to become a recipe developer at New England Ice Lollies before joining the team at Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse in 2013, where she continued to hone her craft. She joined the team at Ledger in Salem as Pastry Chef before signing on at Fort Point’s Oak + Rowan, Boland says of her culinary style, “I like making fun desserts, things I enjoyed from my childhood in a more ‘grown up’ way. I like to keep things simple and delicious.”

Boland enjoys working in the pastry industry because “Every day is different, there is always something new to do, a new challenge to tackle, a new cookie to bake, or a new special to run! It’s never boring, always fast paced, and I just love the hustle. I plan most of my life around eating, what I’m going to eat next. Simply put, food just makes me so happy!”