Meet Chef Bryan Whitmore

For the past ten years, Chef Bryan Whitmore — affectionately known as “Chef B2F” — has been a cornerstone of culinary education in Michigan. He spent seven years honing his craft and mentoring students at Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP), and for the past three years, he’s served as a trades instructor at the Michigan Career and Technical Institute. Bryan has empowered countless students with the skills, confidence and creativity to thrive in the culinary world. His approach blends technical mastery with a deep commitment to mentorship, ensuring that every student not only learns how to cook but also how to lead, collaborate and innovate.

Chef Bryan’s influence extends far beyond the classroom. A passionate advocate for community engagement, he recently spearheaded work-based learning partnerships with Milestone Senior Services — recipient of the MRS Small Business Champion Award — and Van Andel Arena. These collaborations have opened doors for students to gain real-world experience while serving their communities, embodying Bryan’s belief that education should be both practical and purposeful.

Most recently, Chef B2F brought his signature blend of heart and hands-on learning to Portage North Middle School, where he volunteered to teach his daughter Jacqulyn’s Healthy Living class. His lesson? That baking is more than just mixing ingredients — it’s science in action. With flour-dusted aprons and curious minds, students explored the chemistry behind chocolate chip cookies — how baking soda lifts the dough, how butter and sugar caramelize into golden edges, and how heat transforms simple ingredients into something magical. In that moment, the kitchen became a laboratory of learning, where science met sweetness and curiosity was rewarded with warm, gooey bites.

Pictured above, Chef Bryan and his daughter Jacqulyn share a proud moment, a testament to the power of passion, family and community-driven education.