Emily K.

Howard Community College (HCC) alumna Emily Klezer is living the sweet life in Florida.

“It’s absolutely wonderful and is everything I always wanted,” said Klezer.

Her journey began in the fall of 2019 when she enrolled at HCC as a baking and pastry management student. She later earned an Associate of Applied Science in Baking and Pastry Arts Management, an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts and Baking, and a Certificate of Proficiency in Baking and Pastry Arts.

“Everything I am able to do today is because of Howard Community College,” said Klezer. “The chefs are wonderful, and their pastry and culinary skills are on par with those of other big-name chefs.”

In fact, it was Chef David W. Milburn, assistant professor of baking and pastries, who wrote the recommendation for Klezer that would change her life forever. For two years, she worked behind the scenes as a pastry cook at Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando, FL, baking large batches of French macarons for the theme park’s top restaurants, which wasn’t exactly a piece of cake.

“I tell people I was happy to work behind the scenes at Disney,” said Klezer. “It was a great lesson in time management, as it involved the mass production of desserts for hundreds of thousands of people.”

She also baked cinnamon rolls, among other tasty treats, daily, for tourists dining on sweets. Klezer later earned another tempting opportunity as a pastry cook for the Boardwalk Resort, an upscale hotel and entertainment complex that opened in 1996 at the Walt Disney World Resort. She is responsible for producing pastries and desserts, ensuring the dishes are ready and of high quality to be sold to guests.

“I ensure the guests have a wonderful experience every time they come to the Boardwalk,” said Klezer. “I also supply the desserts for The Boardwalk Deli, Trattoria al Forno, Flying Fish, and the club-level rooms, which provides an opportunity to plate the Flying Fish desserts to order during service.”

So, what is Klezer’s favorite or signature dish? She actually prefers the classics.

“Everybody asks me what my signature dish is, and it’s hard because I like everything,” said Klezer. “Of course, I am really good at the macarons, but I just love a good cookie. When you get a good cookie, it’s always like, ‘Umm, delicious.’”

Her goal is to become a head pastry chef at Walt Disney World.