C·CAP Welcomes Four New Members to the C·CAP Miami Advisory Council

We’re excited to welcome four additional members to the C•CAP Miami Advisory Council, each bringing expertise to our mission of empowering the next generation of culinary and hospitality leaders. Please join us in welcoming:

• Dr. Michael Cheng – Dean and Full Professor at FIU’s top-ranked Chaplin School, Dr. Cheng is a nationally recognized leader in hospitality education and the founding force behind the academic discipline of Culinology®.
  
• Haydee Collado – A Culinary Careers Program graduate and former United States Marine, Haydee built a career as a private chef for political figures, celebrities, and royal families. She credits C•CAP with giving her “a second chance” and now gives back to students who share her journey.
  
• Dr. Marcela Guzman Galan – Dr. Guzman Galan holds a Doctorate in Education from Argosy University and her work experience spans diverse categories and different product markets, that include the food industry, retail, and technology. For the past 19 years, she has focused her career in hospitality and as an collegiate-level educator and administrator.
  
• Victoria Pesce Elliott – A longtime food, wine, and travel writer for outlets including the Miami Herald, Food & Wine, and The New York Times, Victoria is now a full-time visual artist based between Miami Beach and Treasure Beach, Jamaica.

 

Dr. Michael Cheng 

Dr. Michael Cheng is the Dean and tenured Full Professor at the top-ranked Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University, where he is transforming hospitality education, starting with the learner experience.  Dr. Cheng has subject matter expertise in competency-based learning, hospitality management, Culinology®, food product development, restaurant development, sensory analysis, and food and beverage management. Prior to joining Florida International University, Dr. Cheng served as founding Director and Department Chair, Director of Global Studies and MBA Programs, and tenured Full Professor of Culinology® at Southwest Minnesota State University.

Dr. Cheng is a native of Malaysia and received both his B.S. and M.S. in Restaurant/Foodservice Management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and his Ph.D. in Hospitality Management from Iowa State University. He brings over 25 years of experience in teaching and learning in Culinology® and Hospitality Management, and established the world’s first and only academic discipline that blends culinary arts and food science—Culinology®. He has been recognized by the Research Chefs Association with three President’s Award, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as 2022 Alumni Masters recipient, the International Hospitality Institute as Top 100 Most Powerful People in USA Hospitality and Global Hospitality Award Winner, and the 2023 and 2024 Power Leader in Hospitality by the South Florida Business Journal. 

Haydee Collado

I have been part of Culinary Careers Program since 2006. I was awarded a full-ride scholarship through the program but chose instead to serve my country as a United States Marine. After being honorably discharged, I returned to one of my first loves—cooking. I attended the Institute of Culinary Education, earning degrees in both Baking & Pastry, and later pursued studies in food science. Because of my military background and culinary training, I have been contracted as a private chef for political figures, A-list celebrities, and members of royal families. C•CAP has given me a second chance in life—a purpose. It motivated me to reintegrate, grow, and now give back to students who look just like me.

Marcela Guzman Galan 

Dr. Marcela Guzman Galan has over 30-year experience in marketing, hospitality, and education. She holds a Doctorate in Education from Argosy University. Her work experience spans diverse categories and different product markets, that include the food industry, retail, and technology. For the past 19 years, she has focused her career in hospitality and as an educator and administrator in different colleges and universities in the US.

Victoria Pesce Elliott

Victoria Pesce Elliott, a freelance food, wine and travel writer for more than 20 years has written for the Miami Herald, Food & Wine, Saveur, Gourmet, and The New York Times among many other publications. She now works full-time as a visual artist incorporating natural materials (and sometimes even food) into her projects. She splits her time between Miami Beach and Treasure beach, Jamaica.