A little bit about me...
Greetings! I'm Greta Styles! During the second semester of my senior year at Hampton University, I called my parents and told them about my newest epiphany. I wanted to be a chef and go to culinary school. My parents knowing that I was a Renaissance woman, figured my dream of being a chef and owning a restaurant was simply an idea that I came up with, and no way I’d be serious about it. I mean I did just spend four years in college as well as spend four years of their money. That conversation ended with my parents telling me to please just focus on graduating from college, which I did that May with a bachelor’s degree in English Arts.
That summer my dream of going to culinary school, the “idea” my parents were hoping I would let go of, brought me to Baltimore International College (BIC) in my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. After looking at many schools, there was nothing like being back home. When I first entered BIC I went in knowing I wanted to cook. I wasn’t even thinking about pastries or baking at that point, which led me to pursue and earn my first associate’s degree in Professional Cooking and Baking. However, in that major, there were two baking courses, which by the second class I was hooked. I knew baking was what I wanted to do. I decided to go for a second associate’s degree in Professional Baking and Pastry. There were so many things that I was introduced to and I was able to develop a level of respect and passion for the Art of baking. That year I placed first and third place in two culinary competitions. I was also one of three students chosen to represent my culinary school in Ireland for six weeks thru an all-expense-paid internship. Oh, how I loved Ireland.
After a few years in the hospitality industry working as a pastry chef, I found it hard to find baking jobs where things were made entirely from scratch. It was then I knew I wanted to start my own company out of my very own kitchen, not just making cakes or cupcakes yet focusing on bringing back all that has been lost in bakeries. Not having the time to devote to my craft I ended up stepping out of the kitchen and going to the front of the house and restaurant management. Although I had to place my dream on the back burner, it was still always important to me to have my own business based on simple principles; using the freshest ingredients and maintaining the integrity of the product by making everything from scratch. If it can be bought, I can make it.
Taste with Styles has been a long time coming and I am so blessed that I finally had the opportunity to make my dream a reality. I am beyond excited to share my passion with you. One thing I can promise is that you will always have a professional experience and there will always be integrity in my brand. I look forward to you Tasting with Me!