Brandee Page

I attribute my success to loving what I do and putting my all into it. When you truly love your work, coming in every day isn't a burden, it's something you want to do. I've learned that if you love what you do and give it everything you've got, you're going to get a much better return. I also believe strongly in doing things right, not taking shortcuts, and treating others the way you want to be treated. These principles have guided me throughout my 18-year career, from starting out after getting my culinary certificate to working my way up to chef at Julie's. Even now, working in the bakery, I bring that same dedication and love for what I do every single day.

The best career advice I've ever received is to make sure you love what you do. This advice has stuck with me throughout my entire career because it's so true. When you love your work, you naturally put your all into it, and you get a much better return on that investment of time and energy. I've also been told not to take shortcuts and to always do things right. Another piece of advice that has guided me is to treat others the way you want to be treated. These principles have helped me navigate the challenges of working in a demanding, male-dominated industry and have kept me grounded through 18 years in the culinary field.

My advice to young women entering the culinary industry is to make sure you love what you do. This field is really hard, especially down the road, and if you don't love it, coming into work every day is not going to be fun at all. As long as you love what you do and put your all into it, you're going to get back a way better return. I'd also say put God first. The restaurant industry is still very much a man's world, and men don't always want to accept that a woman can get in there and do the same thing and hold her own. But if you're passionate about it and committed to doing your best, you can succeed. Just be prepared for the physical challenges too, especially if you're working in a demanding kitchen environment.

The biggest challenges in my field right now are that it's still very much a man's world. The men in the restaurant industry don't always want to accept that a woman can get in there and do the same thing they do and hold her own. There are also physical challenges, especially for women, like having to lift heavy things in a restaurant kitchen. Being short like I am makes everything even more challenging. Another major challenge is leading people, particularly younger workers. These days, many young people aren't as responsible as they need to be, and frankly, some are lazy. You also have to be very careful about what you say and how you say it, because people will run to HR. It makes managing and leading a team much more difficult than it used to be.

The values most important to me in my work and personal life are being responsible, being a team player, and being dependable. Responsibility is at the core of everything I do, whether I'm at work or at home. Teamwork is very important to me because I believe that working together and supporting each other is how we achieve the best results. Being dependable means that people can count on me to show up and do what needs to be done. I also value treating others the way I want to be treated and doing things right without taking shortcuts. Outside of work, family is incredibly important to me. I love spending time with family, being outside in nature, swimming, hiking, fishing, and four-wheeling. These activities keep me grounded and connected to what matters most.