Student Spotlight: Spencer Torp

From Culinary Arts to Craft Beverages: Inside Spencer’s CIA Experience

Meet Spencer Torp, a Food Business Management major from Biloxi, MS, studying Culinary Arts with a concentration in Beverage Production and Service. They explains why CIA felt like the perfect fit, how blending food and beverage skills elevates hospitality, and how leadership lessons from chef-instructors are preparing them for a future in the beverage industry.

1. Why CIA?

At my previous culinary school, my chef was a CIA alum and always spoke highly of it. Toward the end of my program, she told me, ‘We’ve taught you all we can—go to CIA.’ I was only a few months from graduating, but I applied, got in, and fell in love with it. It’s a decision I’m really happy I made.

2. What program are you studying?

I’m majoring in Food Business Management with a Culinary Arts focus and a Beverage Production and Service concentration. I absolutely love it.

3. What are your goals after graduation at CIA?

I plan on staying in the beverage industry. I absolutely have fallen in love with it. The plan is to work in a brewery after I graduate, either in a tap room or making the beer.

4. What has been the most rewarding part of your CIA experience so far?

Seeing how much I’ve grown—both in my skills and culturally. I didn’t experience much diversity growing up, so meeting people from all over the world and trying their food authentically has been one of the most rewarding parts of being at CIA.

5 How did you find your people here—through clubs, dorms, or classes?

A mixture of everything, honestly, I met people through SAGA (Sexuality Alliance and Gender Awareness Club), through my classes, and dorms. My closest friends are people I met during blocks, and some of the best connections come from everyday moments—passing in the hallway, joking in the laundry room, or just saying hi.

6. What’s your favorite class or hands-on experience so far?

My favorite class that I’ve taken so far has to be Spirits and Mix with Associate Professor Rory Brown. He’s incredibly knowledgeable and makes the class fun, and we get hands-on experience making cocktails. That class is what made me fall in love with the beverage industry, especially learning about distillation.

7. How do you feel CIA concentrations and study abroad experiences set you apart in the culinary space?

I think they’re incredibly valuable because they help you find your niche. The concentrations go beyond surface-level learning and let you dive into a specific area. When we learn about alcohol, we get the big, vague picture, and then some classes get into the nitty-gritty. I love the fact that we have concentrations here, and with the vast options that we have, there’s something for everybody.

8. How do you plan to use your CIA education to be the next generation of leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs?

I think it’s important that we have more diversity or show it in the culinary industry. There isn’t much queer representation, and the chefs I’ve had at CIA have shown that leadership can be kind, respectful, and supportive. This generation is prioritizing mental health and well-being, and that matters in such a high-stress industry.

9. What’s one thing you’d tell someone considering CIA?

Do it—it’s worth it. We work with products that many culinary schools don’t. Instead of just seeing a fish once, we regularly break down whole salmon and even learn how to break down an entire lamb. CIA gives you experiences that truly set you apart.