Jean Bonnet Tavern's homemade breads and desserts have local roots - they're created everyday by Chestnut Ridge graduate Faye Harrison. This 1998 CRHS graduate, who started her formal training in the culinary arts in a high school home economics class, continued her training at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, earning a certificate in general culinary chef/pastry arts during an intensive, 16-month program. She honed her skills during an externship in a Lennox, Mass., bed and breakfast, but knew she wanted to return home to practice her trade. "I came home for Christmas and saw the position here was open, and jumped at the opportunity to come home to friends and family," she says. Fifteen months later, Harrison is still creating the fresh bread and desserts that Tavern patrons enjoy daily and preps the line for lunch - making stocks for soup and often cooking lunches as well. "I love the work here," she says. "I enjoy the people and especially enjoy the challenge of creating a variety of things every day." Dessert-time has always been a highlight of any meal for Harrison, and she likes to think she creates items that diners enjoy. "The culinary arts is a great career," she says. "There's always a demand for good chefs. You can work almost everywhere and there's lots of room for advancement - both of your own skills and in your career. Plus, it's something I've always loved to do, so it was a natural choice."

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