Nicole Petrongolo

Training & Education Manager

Nicole Petrongolo began her culinary journey right out of high school, enrolling in The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College and earning her bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts in 2007. While in school, she worked at DiBruno Bros. in Center City before moving into some of Philadelphia’s most respected kitchens, including 10 Arts by Eric Ripert, the Jose Garces Group, and Lacroix at the Rittenhouse.

Inspired by those experiences, Nicole moved to New York and joined the team at Eleven Madison Park, where she had the chance to witness one of the most efficient and imaginative kitchens in the world up close. After a year, she felt the pull back to the city that felt most like home and returned to Philadelphia to work at Avance, a short-lived but pivotal restaurant where she discovered her love for bread.

Nicole took her first bread-baking position at La Colombe in Fishtown in 2014, where she met Katie Lynch — now Mighty Bread’s Head Baker — and soon after, Chris DiPiazza. They crossed paths at a local bakers’ meetup, a gathering where the city’s bakers shared ideas, stories, and inspiration. Mighty Bread was still tiny at the time and not hiring, but Chris left a memorable impression and the two stayed in touch.

Determined to pursue bread fully, Nicole became Bread Manager at Malvern Buttery and later worked as a pastry cook at Fiore Fine Foods. In 2019, she accepted a position at Delaware County Community College as a culinary instructor, fulfilling a longtime goal of teaching and mentoring future cooks and bakers.

In the winter of 2019, Chris reached out about a part-time role at Mighty Bread Co. Nicole jumped at the opportunity, joining the team while continuing to teach at the college. Today, she blends her passion for baking and teaching as Mighty Bread’s Training & Education Manager. Nicole oversees all curriculum development for the bakery’s classes and leads the intern and apprentice program, hosting students from Drexel University, CCAP, and other culinary partners. In this role, she continues to build the next generation of bakers with her signature mix of expertise, enthusiasm, and care.