Employee Spotlight: Pete Doucet

After retiring from the Marine Corps, Pete Doucet began a new chapter in his career. He enrolled at The Chef’s Academy in Raleigh at the age of 50.

Having faced challenges in high school, Pete chose a different path and enlisted in the Marine Corps, dedicating 20 years to the infantry. Following his military service, he spent two years in recruiting but found it unsatisfying, prompting a shift to sales.

With a longstanding passion for cooking, Pete’s friends and family suggested he attend culinary school. Inspired by his role as an instructor during his time in the Marine Corps, Pete decided to combine his love for cooking with education. He earned his culinary degree and went back to school to obtain bachelor’s and master’s degrees, aiming to teach culinary arts in a higher education setting.

Pete’s culinary expertise has taken him to diverse and exciting places, ranging from working with a professional sports team to a sushi restaurant in Florida and managing the market kitchen on Bald Head Island.

WHAT YEAR DID YOU START WORKING AT CFCC AND WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE?

I started at CFCC as an adjunct instructor in the fall of 2022. I accepted the program director position in the fall of 2023.

During my time in the Marine Corps, I was stationed at Camp Lejeune where I met my wife, who is from Beulaville, NC. After my Marine Corps retirement, we left upstate New York to move to North Carolina with a stop in Raleigh before settling in Wilmington.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR WORK?

What I enjoy most about the work is the instructing part. I love to take someone whose brain does not understand something and turn it into a brain that does. I like to engage the kids a lot. That’s my biggest thrill when that light bulb goes off.

It’s a fascinating program, and I’m happy to be here. I’ve got the best of both worlds. I still get to be a culinary instructor. I’m slotted to teach two or three culinary courses a year which is a lot of fun.

WHEN YOU’RE NOT WORKING, WHAT DO YOU DO?

I love to tell stories. After 20 years in the Marine Corps and eight years in this industry, I have a lot of stories to tell. Eight years isn’t a long time in my mind, but it’s enough to have seen a lot of weird stuff. It’s a very interesting industry.

WHO HAD THE GREATEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR EDUCATION AND/OR CAREER PATH?

I would say that the military sparked a love for teaching, and then culinary school sparked a love for learning.

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?

A former boss of mine told me once “The best way to get revenge on a difficult customer is to take their money.” He told me that the customer is going to spend their money, whether it’s with you or somebody else. It might as well be with you.

Difficult customers didn’t make my life happy, but it made me successful. I learned how to counter customer objections to get people on board. I also learned how to not take it personally.

WHAT IS SOMETHING NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YOU?

Although I didn’t hold an official title, I was the team chef for the Carolina Hurricanes NHL team. I would go to the locker room and cook their food. That was a lot of fun.

DEGREES & CERTIFICATES

• Valedictorian, The Chef’s Academy, 2016
• Bachelor of Science (B.S)., DeVry University
• Master of Business Administration (MBA), Johnson and Wales