Bethany Perry transitioned from working in corporate bakeries to feeding toddlers. (Photo by Kathy Tran)
Bethany Perry feels famous every time she walks the halls of Primrose School of Preston Hollow.
Her biggest fans, a group of toddlers, vie for her attention the second they spot her.
“It’s like being a rock star,” Perry says. “Where else can you go and have your name shouted in the hallway?”
The youngsters probably worship the preschool’s chef and nutrition manager because she bakes treats every Friday. It could be her knack for making vegetables tasty for little eaters, or it’s just because she knows all 170 students by name.
Either way, owner Julia Shelton suspected Perry may be the kids’ favorite when they started saying “God bless the cooker” during their daily blessing.
“She shows up with cookies,” Shelton says. “How can I compete with that?”
Perry’s career took shape at several Colorado bakeries, like Panera’s Fresh Dough Facility, before she meshed her love for children and cooking at Primrose.
It’s rare for a preschool to have a private chef on staff, but the school says it’s worthwhile. Having an on-site chef ensures that the school stays up-to-date with dietary guidelines and keeps students with food allergies safe. The one-woman operation provides the kids with two meals and three snacks per day.
Appealing to the pickiest palates isn’t terribly hard, Perry says, as long as she isn’t too adventurous.
“I’m not sure how they’d feel if we handed out green beans for snack. They might riot.”
Primrose School of Preston Hollow
Year established: 2014
Enrollment: 200
Tuition: $11,700-$19,200
