I was a part of the baking and cooking program. You do have a few select men who like doing that type of stuff and the restaurant industry, it is definitely completely divided. I mean we do have a few women that work in the kitchen. The thing is it is now changing, which I think should be fine, but I am very headstrong, and you are not going to mess with me. I’ve always been that way. My father raised me that way. He’s like, “Have a tough skin, you’ll be fine, and fight for what you believe in.” So, I was never really bothered by anything so I can definitely tell you from what I’ve seen that it’s definitely not great, and it’s now changing because women are showing what they can do, and some of the time they can do really good stuff. Especially in the restaurant industry, it’s got more and more women business owners and restaurants and awesome bakeries coming up so props to them.
Elena Viapiano was born and raised in Holden, Massachusetts where she has lived all of her life until recently. After attending high school at Wachusett Regional High School, she graduated in 2013 and went on to pursue a college degree in Culinary Arts at New England Culinary Institute in Vermont. Inspired by her father’s restaurant, Elena wanted to join the restaurant industry with a business of her own, thus opening her bakery called “Baked Holden.” In this interview, Elena discusses her inspirations, her hardships and her future goals as a businesswoman in the restaurant industry. Due to her success during the last few years, she was able to buy a house in North Brookfield, Massachusetts and is now living with her boyfriend where they share the responsibilities of housework. She discusses how her strict Italian upbringing shaped her into the successful business owner she is today. Furthermore, she discusses how grateful she is for having supportive parents who in their own way have helped her achieve what she has at such a young age. She also discusses her challenges as a student with learning impediments, as well as her future goals for her business. Throughout this interview, Elena shows her appreciation for the city of Worcester and its booming restaurant industry.