whisk, stir, and smile – Hands-on fun for kids & families

Bruce Cambell is a graduate of the Hotel and Restaurant Business School at Michigan State University. With over 30 years in the restaurant and beverage industry, Bruce brings his passion and knowledge to a variety of culinary topics. As a founding member of the Rib Stars BBQ team, he has competed on the BBQ circuit for more than 17 years and has won numerous awards. Bruce has been teaching a variety of culinary styles at The Culinary Center of Kansas City since 2006.

Executive Pastry Chef Catie Wiley joined our teaching staff full-time in 2024 after an illustrious career on the East Coast. Since early childhood, when Catie was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she always answered “a baker.” She grew up in the Hudson Valley, and often spent her birthdays at the Culinary Institute of America’s Apple Pie Cafe. She began pursuing her passion for baking at Johnson and Wales University, and followed that up with a Masters of Art in Teaching. On the East Coast, Catie worked at a number of bakeries, including an iconic French patisserie in Providence’s historic Federal Hill neighborhood. After honing her skills across Rhode Island’s vibrant food scene, Catie spent time teaching baking and pastry arts to high school students in Falls River, Massachusetts. Her passion for learning and exploring new techniques continues, with a current obsession for sourdough, perfecting pizza dough, and discovering Midwestern regional favorites like bierocks and gooey butter cake. Catie’s classes will inspire you to fall in love with baking!

Also known as “Goddess of Good Eats,” Laura Thomsen has been drawn to the culinary world since she was a child delivering coffee, sandwiches and homemade banana bread to her farmer father as he worked in the fields. Laura developed her resumé at New Century Catering, the bakery at Dean and Deluca, The New Theater Restaurant, Union Station, area schools, and Unity Village. Chef Laura is a private chef for numerous individuals and organizations around the Kansas City area, and has been teaching beloved adult and kids’ classes at The Culinary Center of Kansas City for over 12 years, including her “Harry Potter” classes for Junior Chefs (9-14 year olds).

Chef Lisa joined our teaching staff full-time in January 2025. Lisa’s journey in the culinary world began at the tender age of 13, when she lent a hand to her grandparents at their catering company. This early exposure ignited a passion that led her through the ranks of the restaurant business, culminating in the management of casual to high-end dining establishments, including Venue, Cafe Sebastienne at The Kemper Museum, and The American Restaurant, where she served as a sommelier. From 2008 to 2020, Lisa taught Culinary Arts at The Career and Technology Center at Fort Osage in Independence, Missouri. Teaching this two-year high school program provided a meaningful growth experience and insights into motivation. Along with teaching, she operated Learning Kitchen, LLC., a catering company employing students from across the metropolitan area who work alongside industry professionals in a reciprocal teaching and learning environment. Chef Lisa’s extensive career in food, food service, preparation, and education has allowed her countless opportunities for growth and fulfillment. For Chef Lisa, cooking and sharing a meal is more than a task–it’s a powerful tool for education, a means to unite families and communities, and a bridge across cultural divides.

Susana Lara Ramirez has a passion for cooking. She grew up in the kitchen beside her mother who taught her the secrets of preparing authentic Mexican dishes and as the oldest of six children, she prepared many of her family’s daily meals. When Susana isn’t creating culinary magic in her kitchen (or ours!) she enjoys her full-time position as a second grade teacher. She has been an instructor and The Culinary Center of Kansas City since 2007, and teaches one of our most popular classes: “The Traditional Art of Tamale-Making.”

Tracy credits her mother and father for her love of cooking and baking, which led her to a lifelong path of learning and loving food. Her passion for cooking continued while studying music in college, when she started catering for her fellow music friend’s recitals. Her love of desserts led her to learn cake decorating techniques, and eventually to start a home-based vegan bakery after she started living a vegan lifestyle in 2014. She loves traveling the world, and has taken cooking classes in India, Indonesia, and Italy. When Tracy isn’t in the kitchen, she teaches at a Blue Valley Elementary School. She is also an active French Horn player on the KC area. She believes that vegan and plant-based cooking can and should be fun and delicious, and has been sharing her knowledge and passion with our guests since 2021.