Choosing a career path can be a tough choice for some, but for Kelli Page Nicols choosing a career path was a breeze. It all started when she was a little girl. “I took a trip to Florence and Rome, Italy,” said Nicols, “and that is what opened my eyes to culinary arts.”

“I had never been to a place where food was so appreciated,” said Nicols. Italian cooking has always played a large role in her love for culinary arts. After graduating from Auburn High School, Nicols moved to Birmingham to start her culinary career.

She began Culinard at the Culinary Institute in Birmingham, Ala. in 2001. After graduating in 2005 Nicols began working under Frank Stitt at Che Fon-Fon in Birmingham. Working there gave her a chance to move to Atlanta, Ga. and work an internship at Tower’s Restaurant. Thrilled by the opportunity, Nichols packed up her life in Birmingham and moved to Buckhead.

The six month internship as the assistant cook got Nicols thinking about her future. When I asked her what her least favorite part of her career was, she said, “The hours, having to be up from 7 a.m. for prep and being there until after midnight was just too much for me.”

After completing her internship, Nicols moved to Columbia, S.C. to start something new. “I love baking,” Nicols said, “so I decided to start something that incorporated baking, Tiffany’s.”

Tiffany’s is a bakery that Nicols opened in the fall of 06’. The bakery was such a success that after only two years of being in operation, she opened a smaller store in Charleston. The sister store was open soley for distribution. Nicols baked all the goods at the store in Columbia and then shipped the goods to the store in Charleston.

“I loved working in the bakery,” Nicols said. She told me her favorite part of starting her own business was being able to watch it grow from start to finish. “The process of putting it all together is something I will never forget,” said Nicols, “it was such a relief off my shoulders when it finally opened and I could see my final product.”

Though she loved South Carolina and everything she had established there, Nicols was ready to be back closer to home. In June of 2008, Nicols moved back to Auburn to be closer to her family.

Since Nicols mom has been involved in the food industry in Auburn for more then 20 years, she was able to help her get her foot in the door at Hamilton’s.

Nicols worked as the general manager at Hamilton’s from June of 2008 until it closed this past October. When I asked her about what she plans on doing now, she said, "my career path is still hazy, but I am looking into opening a bakery in Auburn."

“Choosing to go to culinary school was a large step in my life,” Nicols said, “but it has proven to be a successful one.”

Choosing a career path can be difficult for some people, but for others, things can happen early on that will change your life forever.


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