Influential Women: Maxine Marie Lambiase Turning a Childhood Dream Into Culinary Leadership and Creative Pastry Artistry
Maxine Marie Lambiase is an accomplished culinary professional who serves as Executive Sous Chef and Pastry Chef at Montclair Golf Club. With a strong foundation in baking, pastry arts, and culinary science, she has built a career centered on creativity, leadership, and exceptional dining experiences. At the club, she plays a key leadership role overseeing culinary operations, mentoring team members, and supporting large-scale events, including celebrations that serve thousands of guests. She holds ServSafe certification and is a HACCP food safety auditor, credentials that reflect her commitment to safe, high-quality kitchen operations. For Maxine, the work is more than a job, as she considers herself fortunate to be living her childhood dream.
Maxine’s culinary journey began at age 16, when she first stepped into professional kitchens. She went on to earn an Associate’s degree in Baking and Pastry Arts and later completed a Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Science/Culinology at The Culinary Institute of America. There, she developed a deep understanding of food techniques, ingredients, and kitchen operations. Her career has taken her through restaurants, private clubs, and event-focused kitchens, with roles at Harvest Restaurant Group, American Bistro, Trap Rock Restaurant & Brewery, and The Grand, where she served as Executive Sous Chef. Along the way, she built expertise in pastry production, plated desserts, menu development, scratch baking, team management, and high-volume event execution.
Maxine attributes her success to her passion for the culinary arts, her commitment to continuous learning, and the experiences that have shaped her path. Each step, from her early start in the field to her education and her advancement into her current position, has helped her grow both personally and professionally. She finds particular meaning in helping her team develop their skills, their confidence, and their ability to solve challenges on their own. In the kitchen, she is known for developing independent, problem-solving chefs by teaching strong technical foundations and encouraging creativity.
The best career advice Maxine has received is to never be afraid to take risks. Taking chances, working hard, and pushing through challenges, often without many mentors to lean on, helped her grow into the leader she is today. That spirit showed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she launched an online bakery LLC and brought her entrepreneurial instincts to life. The experience taught her the importance of adaptability and of always having a backup plan.
Her advice to young women entering the culinary industry is to work hard, stay passionate, and remember that success can take many forms. She encourages them to savor the moments when people appreciate and enjoy what they create, and to stay open to unexpected opportunities. Looking at her field today, Maxine sees one of the biggest challenges and opportunities as finding balance while growing both professionally and personally. After three years in her current role, she is focused on continuing to develop her skills while also preparing for an important personal milestone, her wedding in November.
Adaptability, service, and dedication are the values Maxine holds most important in her work and personal life. Her experience in both pastry and savory cooking, her efforts to support others during COVID, and her willingness to take on new responsibilities have shaped her commitment to teamwork and growth. Outside the kitchen, she enjoys spending time on the water. Passionate about hospitality, she continues to blend her pastry expertise with operational leadership to create innovative menus and exceptional experiences for club members and guests.
From her first kitchen job as a teenager to her leadership of a busy private club kitchen, Maxine has shown how passion, risk-taking, and steady learning can turn a childhood dream into a thriving career. Through her creativity, her adaptability, and her commitment to mentoring independent chefs, Maxine Marie Lambiase is leaving a lasting mark on every kitchen she leads and every guest she serves.
Learn More about Maxine Marie Lambiase:
Through her Influential Women profile: https://influentialwomen.com/connect/maxine-lambiase
Influential Women
Influential Women provides a platform where women from all backgrounds can connect, share their perspectives, and create content that empowers themselves and others. Through storytelling, thought leadership, and creative expression, Influential Women amplifies voices that inspire change.
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