Chef Mara Norris started her teaching career as a voice teacher, running her own studio for over 10 years in the Greensboro, NC area. Meanwhile, she was a serious hobbyist cook.
In 2010, Mara decided to take her cooking to a new level and enrolled in the culinary department of Guilford Technical Community College. While in school, Mara competed in several national competitions including SkillsUSA and the Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl. She also started assisting her chef instructors in coordinating TV appearances and soon became a regular featured chef on several news stations. 

Mara began her cooking career at Whole Foods in Greensboro in 2012 as the Cooking Coach where she wrote and demonstrated recipes in the store. She also began a cooking class program at the Whole Foods and was a regular instructor at the Edible Schoolyard at the Greensboro Children’s Museum. In 2014, Mara became the director of the Salud Cooking School at the Whole Foods in Charlotte, NC. While at Salud!, Mara created an opportunity for local chefs to compete in front of an audience with Sliced! Live Cooking Competition. She has been seen on local TV morning programs and teaching three to seven times a week at Salud! Mara is a member of the Piedmont Culinary Guild and is a true believer in local food.

Chef Mara is incredibly excited to start a new venture in cooking and teaching at The Foodie School. She loves sharing her knowledge and excitement for food, cooking, and entertaining.