About
Bridging Academic Research & Culinary Practice
Sally Frey, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Food Studies at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA. A classically trained chef, sommelier, accredited wine judge, craft chocolate maker, and owner of S. K. Frey Chocolates & Confections, she brings over twenty years of professional culinary expertise into the classroom. Her work bridges academic research and applied practice, informed by experience in teaching kitchens, small-batch chocolate production, entrepreneurship, cafés, and collaborative cookbook projects.
Connecting Teaching & Experiential Learning
A dedicated mentor to undergraduate and graduate students, Sally connects coursework to real-world application through student-centered, project-based learning. Her teaching integrates tasting, making, and critical reflection with scholarly reading and discussion, strengthened by collaboration with industry professionals and hands-on practice. She emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to food, culture, sustainability, and entrepreneurship while fostering critical thinking and professional skill development.
Connecting Teaching & Experiential Learning
A dedicated mentor to undergraduate and graduate students, Sally connects coursework to real-world application through student-centered, project-based learning. Her teaching integrates tasting, making, and critical reflection with scholarly reading and discussion, strengthened by collaboration with industry professionals and hands-on practice. She emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to food, culture, sustainability, and entrepreneurship while fostering critical thinking and professional skill development.
Integrating Research & Applied Work
Sally’s research engages with immersive, project-based approaches in food studies, exploring how culinary practice, gastronomy, multimedia storytelling, and student-centered learning foster creativity, engagement, and transferable skills. She challenges conventional boundaries between theory and practice, advocating for embodied experience as a vital and legitimate mode of knowledge production. Committed to practicing what she teaches, she continues to learn through doing, currently training as a barista, and models lifelong, hands-on engagement with food and beverage cultures.