Michael Joseph

AA Culinary Arts, Erie Community College
BS Hospitality Management, Florida International University
CEC Certification, American Culinary Federation
PC-1 ProChef Certification, Culinary Institute of America

In high school, Mike wanted to be one of three things: a priest, a cook, or an auto mechanic. Because food was a center point in his family, he eventually determined his true calling. Mike went on to earn an associate’s degree in Culinary Arts from Erie Community College, a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management from Florida International University, followed by continuing education credits at the Culinary Institute of America.

Over the years, Mike honed his skills at a variety of restaurants, his family’s sizeable catering business, and as food service director for a college in Buffalo, feeding 10,000 students, faculty and administrators a day.

After several years in kitchens of all sizes, he joined the Rich’s team. For more than 3 decades, Mike has put his culinary background and operational skills to work at Rich Products, training customers and culinarians in a range of products and solutions. A magician since he was a teenager, Mike sometimes uses his magic in presentations with customers to underscore the subject matter and keep his audience engaged. Mike also had the opportunity of combining his love for food and magic on local TV in Buffalo with 16 episodes for a series called The Magic of Cooking.

Mike finds that one of the most rewarding parts of his job is sharing his knowledge with others and helping them expand on their skills. “I love to share the knowledge that I have, and I love to learn new things myself. I’m always continuing learning, even being in the industry as long as I’ve been.”

Mike’s ability to wow with magic and memorably energetic personality have opened unique doors for him, and have established lasting relationships with those he’s touched along the way.