Meet our Instructors
Bhavana Barde
Born and brought up in India, land of myriad colors, moods, traditions, and ethnic food, Bhavana has a special relation with ghee and spices and loves to share her passion of cooking with you and your family.
A Louisville resident since 2004, Bhavana has been in the kitchen since she was eight years old. With her love of cooking Indian food, she started Bhavana Foods LLC, her catering company, in 2011 feeling a responsibility to introduce everyone to the goodness of Indian food.
In 2018, Bhavana introduced a new product line, Super Food Veda ~ Nutrition for Mind and Body. “I am adherent to Ayurveda, an ancient Indian practice of food as medicine. It is a Sanskrit word from Ayur meaning life and Veda meaning knowledge. It is part of a lifestyle which promotes balance with yoga, meditation, and adherence to a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and health enhancing spices.
“There is something special about cooking a delicious meal and nourishing yourself and your family with it. With our busy life, we are at a disconnect from our food. We have lost the connection of where it comes from or how to grow it, how to eat seasonally, the magic of using spices to enhance digestion and the wisdom to create meals that not only taste good, but balance and energizes our whole being.
Chef Angelina LaRosa Bruner
Chef Angelina is known for her authentic raw approach in the kitchen. She grew up in a large family that loves food. Since she was a young child, Angie was right next to her mom cooking in the kitchen. She started working in the industry at age 14 in her family’s restaurant, LaRosa’s Pizzeria.
She moved away from her home in Southeast Indiana close by Cincinnati to Louisville after she graduated from high school in 2012. While attending Sullivan University’s culinary school in 2015, she interned at Cooking at the Cottage. Upon graduating with her culinary degree, she continued her education at Sullivan to achieve her Master’s in Business Administration. During that time, she worked at many well-known & start up restaurants around the city of Louisville including At the Italian Table, Ward 426, & Corbett’s.
How she describes her cuisine is wholesome, seasonal, using minimum processed foods and flavored with pure ingredients. Her favorite dishes she enjoys cooking is authentic Mediterranean. She currently is a Private Personal Chef at Angelina’s Culinary Consulting, teaches cooking classes and works in the retail store of Cooking at the Cottage.
Chef Mike Cunha
Chef Mike Cunha, a chef instructor at Sullivan University National Center for Hospitality Studies (NCHS) in Louisville, KY, had 30 years of industry experience prior to joining Sullivan. Chef Cunha holds an associates degree in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts, along with a Bachelor's degree in Foodservice Management, from Johnson & Wales University.
In his current position, Chef Cunha instructs students in Basic Culinary Theory, Basic Culinary Lab, Purchasing, Food and Beverage Cost Control, International Cuisine, Advanced Techniques, Garde Manager, Dining Room Services and Food Sanitation.
Prior to his employment at Sullivan University, Chef Cunha was operating partner/executive chef at Limestone Restaurant in Louisville and Mike & Jimmy's Chophouse in Crestview Hills, KY. Before that, he was executive chef de cuisine at the Oakroom at the Seelbach Hotel, Kentucky's only AAA five-diamond rated restaurant. In his career, Chef Cunha has participated in three James Beard House Dinners, along with one event at the Marriot Marquis Hotel in New York, one event at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, and one event at the Brown Hotel in Louisville.
Chef Cunha's work has been featured in various publication such as Louisville Magazine, Southern Living, Wine Spectator, USA Today, Business First, Food Arts and Nations Restaurant News. Chef Cunha has taken an active role in the community working with the March of Dimes, Hospice Care, the Home of the Innocents and Family and Children First Foundation and the Salvation Army Culinary Program.
Chef Cunha was awarded the 2011 Chef Educator of the Year award from the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Kentucky Chapter, of which he is a member.
Christina Faust
Christina is one of our instructors and Cottage staff. Not only is she the spokesperson for the Cottage each Friday on Facebook and Instagram, but she also works behind the scenes as a product tester and buyer. Christina has grown up in the restaurant industry and has taken cooking classes for over 15 years. She has worked to develop her skills in the kitchen cooking for her family and friends through research, reading, and practice.
Christina would describe her cuisine as flavorful and nourishing to the body and soul. She enjoys using a whole, minimally processed food, locally sourced if possible. After learning of her intolerance for gluten she has been cooking and baking gluten-free for six years. Christina has worked to perfect her wheat-free baking as well as adapting favorite recipes to taste as good as the originals. Since her family and friends are not gluten-free she is also well-versed in cooking and baking for all. She loves to learn about food from all over the world and try out various recipes and techniques.
Christina is also a full-time doctor in clinical psychology. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders for children, adolescents, and adults. She believes that food is as important in mental health as anything else. Recently her work has been dedicated to understanding the link between food and mood and how to feel your best self. On the weekends you can find Christina painting, in her garden, throwing on the pottery wheel, or playing with her dogs.
Chef Lelia Gentle
Growing up in a small community near the gulf coast had a powerful impact on Lelia Gentle’s vocation. Summers spent trapping crabs and making seafood gumbo would lay the foundation for a career in the seafood business. After earning a B.A. in Foods and Nutrition, to add to her knowledge of gulf coast seafood, Lelia began working with chefs from Boston and New England, learning firsthand about the handling and cooking of fresh New England seafood, as well as attending Master Fish Classes at the Cordon Blue in Paris, France.
Graduate school landed the Gentles in Louisville, where they found themselves on the front end of a new and fresh era in the culinary world. Specialty food shops were appearing on the food landscape, and their two businesses, St. Matthews Seafood Co. and Stan’s Fish Sandwich, became important players in the Louisville culinary landscape, winning many top awards and being featured in publications such as Southern Living magazine.
After a successful career in the seafood business, Lelia and Stan, transitioned their focus, and now own and operate DreamCatcher Farm. Their farm is a chemical-free, sustainable farm producing pasture raised 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef. Although that may sound like a drastic turnabout in careers, the common thread for all their businesses has been sourcing and providing sustainable, clean, fresh and healthy food.
Lelia’s specialty is farm to table food with emphasis on sustainable agriculture, food safety, and a strong local food economy.
Chef Sandra Gugliotta
Sandra Gugliotta is owner and chef at Dining Elegance Caterers LLC & Delizie Italiane.
She started the business in 2001 after the birth of her first and only daughter Julia, and it took off a few years later in 2005.
Sandra has been providing her services to individuals for everything from private home dinner parties to weddings, rehearsal dinners, anniversaries, birthdays, special occasions and themed events.
“As a private chef, I work hard to make sure that everything not only looks orderly and fantastic but also tastes delicious. I strive to do my best on even the simplest of events in order to create that special event for each and every client. In am a perfectionist with every detail.” She has been extremely blessed to be able to do what she loves for the past 15+ years.
Chef Jesica Jones
A graduate of Sullivan University Baking & Pastry Arts, Jesica is most at home in the kitchen. This mother of three grew up cooking and baking with both of her grandmas and found a passion for making people feel good with food & beautiful desserts. She began a small catering business, appropriately named Love at First Bite. Jesica closed her business a few years ago to focus on her three little ones and teaching classes at Cooking at the Cottage.
“I love teaching kids and adults how to use simple techniques to create their own masterpieces!”
Chef Heidy Michel
Chef Heidy Michel was born in Chicago and raised in the northwest suburb of Roselle, IL. The youngest of 5 children, she learned to express herself through her love for food. Her Mexican heritage has influenced her cooking style, using bold flavors and spices she grew up enjoying most.
After completing a Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Management from Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL, Heidy worked in the hotel industry for 8 years, including Hilton and Marriott properties. Though she enjoyed her time in the hotel industry, she always yearned to follow her dreams of becoming a chef. With the blessing of her close knit family, Chef Heidy found the courage to take a leap of faith, move to Louisville and attend Sullivan University where she graduated with an Associate's Degree in Baking & Pastry and completing an internship at Butchertown Grocery Bakery.
Currently working as the Culinary Data Specialist at Atria Senior Living, Chef Heidy also works part time at Cooking in the Cottage as well as teaching cooking classes.
Chef David Moeller
Chef David Moeller is a Chef Instructor at Sullivan University's National Center for Hospitality Studies (NCHS) in Louisville, Kentucky. In his current position, Chef Moeller instructs students in Advanced Culinary Techniques, and is one of two coaches for the Sullivan University student hot food competition team. Chef Moeller has also taught Basic Culinary Skills and Theory, Garde Manger, Menu Creation, Wines and Spirits, Catering, Dining Room Service and Purchasing.
Prior to his employment at Sullivan University, Chef Moeller began his culinary career in 1981 working for the Grisanti Company, a group of three restaurants, specializing in fine dining Northern Italian cuisine, and regional American cuisine. Chef Moeller worked for the Grisanti Company in all kitchen positions until 1986 when he was hired as Chef Tournament at Vincenzo's, another fine dining restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1988, Chef Moeller moved to Providence, Rhode Island to pursue a degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University, which he completed in 1989. In addition to attending culinary school full time, Chef Moeller worked full time as a Pastry Chef at Michael's Gourmet, one of the largest catering houses in Providence.
Having completed his culinary degree, Chef Moeller returned to Louisville as Chef de Cuisine at Jack Fry's, until being lured back to Vincenzo's where he worked as Chef de Cuisine, until his appointment as Chef Instructor at Sullivan University, where in 1996, he opened Winston's restaurant, a three and a half star restaurant on the Sullivan University campus, as Executive Chef.
In 1997, Chef Moeller moved to Chicago Illinois as Executive Chef of Bistrot Zinc, an authentic French Bistro in the heart of the city, until his return to Louisville and Sullivan University.
Chef Moeller's work has been featured in several periodicals such as Chef Magazine, Southern Living, and Chicago Magazine, and he has also appeared on many local television news stations, demonstrating his talent and love of the culinary profession.
Chef Joshua Moore
Josh Moore, Executive Chef and Partner at Volare Ristorante knew that he wanted to be a chef as soon as he could reach his grandmother’s stove. Seven years later, at the age of fourteen, Josh was working in a professional kitchen. He started his career as the pastry assistant at Vincenzo’s Italian restaurant in Downtown's Louisville, KY.
Josh’s creativity and strong work ethic helped propel his career into other top kitchens in the city. Wildwood Country Club and Porcini were stops between. Along the way, Chef Josh has cooked for Muhammad Ali, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, Drea de Matteo, MichealImperioli, George Strait, the Prince of Monaco and many others.
He has been Executive Chef and Executive Pastry Chef (a rare combo) at Volare since 2005. Through hard work and dedication, he became a partner in 2007. “I love Volare from top to bottom; the front-of-house staff, kitchen staff, food quality and quality of the guests make this the best place to work.” Chef Josh explains.
Chef Josh’s passion for food starts with the food itself. He has a 10-acre working farm in Taylorsville, KY where he harvests vegetables Spring through Fall and serves them at Volare. He doesn’t leave his passion for cooking there. Chef Josh has a commercial-grade kitchen at home where his favorite things to cook are comfort foods like fried pork chops, Asian inspired dishes, and Italian classics like homemade pasta and grilled pizza. “I love what I do for a living, I never wake up and say ‘I don’t want to cook today’ It’s awesome to love what you do and be excited about it.”
For Chef Josh, cooking is a combination of creativity, artistry, skill and passion. Another thing that Josh is passionate about is philanthropy, specifically the March of Dimes. As the Lead Chef of their annual Signature Chef event since 2008, Josh has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars. He has cooked at the James Beard House in New York and is a regular on the television show Secrets of Louisville Chefs. His artistic abilities also flow into sugar artistry, ice carving and wedding cakes.
“Louisville could not have a better group of chef friends and colleagues who are passionate about gastronomy and helping their community in many ways. Louisville is one of those cities where the chefs really do contribute abundantly to the charities.”
For his last meal, Chef Josh would order a Certified Angus Beef rib eye prepared to rare temp and a side of vegetables grown on his farm. Josh is a Louisville native married to Lindsay Moore and father to son, Gibson.