Meet the Chef & Owner
Hi, I’m Rachel Gooding.
I've loved food for as long as I can remember, drawn to the way it blends creativity and science.
That passion led me to earn a degree in Food Science from the University of Massachusetts and a Culinary Arts degree from Johnson & Wales University, giving me a strong foundation in both the technical and artistic sides of cooking.My career has been a mix of hands-on kitchen experience and behind-the-scenes food innovation. I starting cooking at an upscale golf club, before obtaining a research chef position at McCormick & Co. In this role I was part of a team that catered everything from intimate investment lunches to large-scale events, and worked to help run internal cooking classes. I later stepped into recipe development, crafting and editing hundreds of recipes for McCormickForChefs.com and bringing recipes to life on screen through food video production.I was also part of McCormick’s Flavor Forecast team, researching and predicting upcoming food trends and developing recipes to match. My background in food science played a key role in clinical research studies, where I conducted nutritional analysis and worked with sensory teams to refine recipes based on taste and consumer feedback. This diverse background was the foundation for becoming a Certified Culinary Scientist. Now, I bring my expertise to catering, cooking classes, and recipe development—combining science, creativity, and great flavor to make food both innovative and approachable.What’s in a name?
Sweetie Pie Culinary is named in honor of my Aunt Mary, who was a strong, independent, and generous woman.
She grew up in a big family—my father was one of nine siblings—and she was the first girl after five boys. With 32 nieces and nephews, she had a way of making us all feel special, always calling us her "sweetie pies."
Aunt Mary wasn’t a fancy cook, but she never showed up to a family gathering without her coconut chocolate chip cookies. Her real passion was her career in banking, where she was one of the few women when she started. She was smart with her money, and when she passed after a long battle with cancer, she left a little something for each of us—a reflection of the way she always took care of her family.Naming this business after her felt like a natural way to carry on that sense of connection and generosity that she showed us all.