Clara Park ’96 Blends Culinary Mastery with Creative Passion and Determination

When Clara Park ’96 walks into a kitchen, it isn’t just about food — it’s about transformation. From the high-stress spotlight of reality cooking shows to the state-of-the-art teaching kitchens of her culinary center, Eat Cetera Philly, Clara has built a career fueled by talent, resilience and the same unshakable confidence she began developing at Baldwin. “I don’t question my ability to do anything just because I am a woman,” Clara says. “It’s never easy in the beginning, but I can figure out pretty much anything I set my mind to.”

 

Though Clara is now a celebrated chef, educator and founder of a Philadelphia-based culinary center, her path wasn’t always so clear. Raised in a Korean household where academic success was paramount, Clara felt pressure to follow a more conventional professional route. “I think I always wanted to be a chef,” she says, “but I knew my parents would be very disappointed in me. It wasn’t culturally acceptable 20 years ago.”

 

After leaving a Ph.D. program in biology at Columbia University with only her master’s degree, Clara traveled with her parents through South Korea and China — an experience that became a turning point. “My dad told me we weren’t going to eat the same thing twice for 30 days,” she recalls. “That marathon of eating and traveling really lit a fire in me. I knew food and cooking were what made me the happiest.”

 

Upon returning to the U.S., Clara dove headfirst into the culinary world, reaching out to a chef she had previously met at a benefit. He invited her to spend a night in his restaurant, which was none other than Eleven Madison Park, one of the world’s most acclaimed restaurants. That night confirmed what she already suspected: she belonged in the kitchen. She completed the work-study program first then enrolled as a student at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, graduating debt-free in 2005. Her first professional experience? She flew directly to San Francisco the day after graduation to begin an externship at Restaurant Gary Danko.

Clara’s culinary journey reached a wider audience when she appeared on both Chopped and Netflix’s Snack vs. Chef. But despite her confident demeanor, the experience wasn’t as glamorous as it may seem.

 

“Cooking on TV is really, really, really hard,” she says with emphasis. “Imagine pumping adrenaline, the highest levels of stress and the mortal fear of making a mistake in front of everyone you’ve ever met — and you still aren’t coming close.” Even in chaos, Clara shined. She took home the top prize on Chopped, and placed third on Snack vs. Chef, winning praise not just for her food but for her tenacity. “One of the producers actually commented to me that I never give up, which I took as a badge of honor.”

With years of experience in elite restaurants and an educator’s spirit, Clara launched Eat Cetera Philly, a culinary center with the motto: “We are here to teach you, feed you and show you a good time!”

 

The name — a playful spin on “et cetera” — harkens back to her Baldwin Latin classes and a favorite E.E. Cummings poem. “It encapsulates everything I wanted to say: eating and more,” Clara explains. “Every experience at Eat Cetera lets you learn, eat and more.” What sets her cooking classes apart is their dual appeal: hands-on instruction for curious home cooks, and culinary demonstrations for those who would rather sit and eat. “I missed the professional-level classes that are offered all over NYC. I wanted to bring that to Philly,” she says. “Also, how often do you get to talk shop with a Chopped champion?” The project’s reach expanded through a partnership with Drexel University, giving Clara and her students access to top-tier teaching kitchens typically reserved for professional culinary school programs.

 

While Baldwin didn’t offer home economics, Clara credits her alma mater for nurturing the creativity and intellect she now pours into every dish. “I have to give tremendous credit to Ruth Fackenthal and Jan Pethick,” she says, referencing her art teachers. “Each plate is my canvas. The things I learned in art class affect everything — color palettes, texture, composition.”

 

Her academic foundation in science plays a role, too. “Cooking and baking involve biology, chemistry and physics,” Clara notes, citing memories of AP Bio with Mrs. Kamrin and Mrs. Dahl’s chemistry experiments involving peanut brittle.

 

Clara knows firsthand how difficult it can be to walk an unconventional path, but she encourages Baldwin students to pursue passion over predictability. “What matters most is what makes you happy,” she says. “Your family and friends may not understand what you are doing, but they will be able to see the joy in your face when you’re doing something you truly love.”

 

Even with her TV accolades, thriving business and devoted students, Clara remains grounded. Her favorite guilty pleasure snack? “Ruffles chips and cheap French onion dip.” Her most memorable kitchen fail? A duck fat shower during dinner service. And what does she think every aspiring chef (or just any adult) should know how to make? “Eggs for breakfast, a decent sandwich, roast chicken and salad for dinner.”

 

Through it all, Clara brings her unshakable determination, humor and heart to every challenge — qualities that began taking root at Baldwin. “She came from a world where no one told her what she couldn’t do,” Clara says, quoting an article about author Rachel Kushner, though the sentiment clearly applies to her. “To me, Baldwin was like that.” Now, Clara is passing that same sense of possibility on to others — one class, one plate and one joyful bite at a time.

Learn more about Clara's Eat Cetera Philly in this 6ABC news clip.