Chef Richard J. Coppedge Jr. is a professor of Baking and Pastry Arts at CIA, where he teaches Advanced Baking Principles and shares his deep expertise in artisan bread and specialty baking.
Over more than 30 years at CIA, he has taught a wide range of bread baking courses and played a key role in developing CIA’s bread baking instructional video series. He is also coauthor with CIA of Baking for Special Diets (John Wiley & Sons, 2016) and Gluten-Free Baking (Adams Media, 2008).
Before joining CIA in 1992, Coppedge held positions at some of the hospitality industry’s most respected properties, including The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and Walt Disney World. He also served as the bread baker for The Dunes Club in Providence, RI, and the Narragansett Bay Baking Company in Newport, RI.
His teaching career began at his alma mater, Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI, where he spent 10 years as an assistant professor in the baking program. A Certified Master Baker (CMB), Coppedge holds an associate degree in Culinary Arts and a bachelor of science degree in Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales.
Recognized for his excellence in education, Coppedge was named CIA Faculty Member of the Year in 1994. He is an active member of the Bread Bakers Guild of America and the Retailer’s Bakery Association, and his work has earned numerous accolades.
When not sharing his baking knowledge with students, he can be found playing ice hockey, riding his gravel-road bike, building bicycle wheels from scratch, and rescuing dogs and cats.
Q&A with Professor Coppedge
How long have you been a Certified Master Baker (CMB)?
Roughly 25 years and I’ve never had to renew it thankfully because if I did, I would need to practice some!
What is your favorite part about teaching Advanced Baking Principles?
I think showing the students that there are opportunities to adjust and create recipes for those people out there who normally can’t eat what we make.