Dean & Chef Francine Marz
Dr. Francine Marz has more than 30 years of industry experience. A native South Carolinian, Marz said she is excited to be relocating to South Carolina’s Lowcountry. “I love this area and the fact that it is a growing area, and just everything it has to offer.”
Marz most recently served as Culinary Director for Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Prior to Northhampton, she worked for Montgomery County Community College in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, where she was responsible for opening its Culinary Arts Institute and launching the school’s curriculum.
Marz has also worked in a number of restaurants, hotels and resorts across the country, such as Marriott Hotel and Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World, often serving in leadership roles or as executive chef.
Marz recently earned her doctorate in Organizational Leadership, Innovation and Learning in 2021 from Wilmington University in New Castle, Delaware.
In addition, she holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in International Business and Finance from Argosy University in Phoenix, Arizona, a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina, an Associate Degree in Baking and Pastry and an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts, also from Johnson & Wales. While in college, Marz worked for several venerable Charleston institutions including the Mills House Hotel, Seabrook Island Resort and Peninsula Grill.
Chef Jackie Orak
Jacqueline Orak serves as Department Chair and Instructor for the TCL Culinary Institute of the South.
Orak has more than 20 years’ experience throughout the Southeast serving as a chef, pastry chef, banquet manager, event planner, sommelier and general manager. Orak attended the highly acclaimed Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, S.C., where she earned associate degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry and a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management. She holds a Master’s in Business Administration in Global Business Marketing from the Providence campus of Johnson & Wales.
Orak is an American Culinary Federation Certified Working Pastry Chef and has worked in some of the finest bakeshops in the country including The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., Highlands Country Club in Highlands, N.C, and the five-star, five-diamond Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina.
“For me, the ultimate reward in the food and beverage industry is guest satisfaction,” she said. “The expression from a happy guest is why I do what I do. I hope to encourage future chefs to feel the same way.”
