Debbie Halkovics-Pesta

Hello, I am Debbie. I was the kid painting “lemonade sold here” on a makeshift beverage stand for the neighborhood garage sale. Anything combining a form of art, entertaining and a sales pitch stole my time and attention. I hold my grandfather Arnold responsible for my obsession with delicious food. His holiday buffets were visual stunners. I’d stand on my tippy toes to peer at all the goodies on his buffet as I wondered how he made food look and taste so good. He never cooked from recipes so I suspect the hours I spent reading cookbooks and testing recipes to recreate the sights and smells of that buffet table set me on a course to culinary school. I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design from the University of Akron. After graduation, I continued as a teaching assistant while working as a Commercial Space Interior Designer. I liked interior design but I LOVED sales and teaching. I made a career pivot to Sales Executive and received recognition for building successful sales teams. Sales events and elegant business dinners were a perk that brought me back to appreciating visual stunners on caterer’s tables and in the kitchen windows of award-winning restaurants. I took cooking and baking classes recreationally to try and recreate all of those good eats, but ultimately, I knew I was destined for culinary school. Graduating from ICASI was a special accomplishment. I love my job as Pastry Chef. I spend my days creating meals and desserts that I hope others find stunning and delicious. My goal is to help you make dishes that taste great, stun your guests and tie into your special memories.