When kids learn to read, they typically choose storybooks filled with large, colorful illustrations. But Heidi Craig, the youngest of five siblings, took to another form of literature in her Quarryville home.
“She would whisk away our cookbooks and magazines and recipes, and take them up to her room, and that’s what she would read instead of chapter books,” says Rachel Craig, Heidi’s mother.
Now 19 and pursuing culinary school with a focus in pastry arts, Heidi is spending her summer working at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, as their only baking intern. From cakes and trifles to tarts and cream puffs, Heidi has gotten a “taste” of the real hustle and bustle of a professional kitchen.
“I tend to be too hard on myself and take things personally, but (working at the estate) has taught me to let go of some things,” says Heidi. “Not taking things too personally is one of the main skills I’ve learned.”
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Heidi Craig, a Solanco Grad, had worked in two of the Biltmore Estate's restaurants: The Inn and Cedric's Tavern.
The Biltmore Estate is the 250-room chateau of George Vanderbilt, completed in 1895. Located just a few miles southwest of Asheville, North Carolina, the estate attracts tourists with its Gilded Age architecture and walkable gardens. With over 18 restaurants on the property, the estate offers several culinary internships annually.
Heidi started her baking internship on April 30 and has worked at two of the estate’s 18 restaurants: Cedric’s Tavern, a casual gastro-pub fare restaurant, and The Inn, a quaint, fine dining establishment. She has worked through the entire summer with full-time, eight-hour shifts, staying in provided housing a few miles outside of the estate. She will return home to Lancaster County Aug. 9.
“It’s definitely pretty intense, especially in service,” Heidi says. “Making sure you’re organized is really important.”
Craig's orange-Creamsicle-inspired dessert was featured as a special at Cedric's Tavern. It consists of an orange cake base, topped with vanilla custard and almond shortbread.
In a shift, Heidi works mostly in food prep, preparing her assembly line and making backup desserts. In her time at Cedric’s Tavern, she even made her own featured dish: an Orange Creamsicle-inspired dessert with layers of orange cake, almond shortbread and vanilla custard.
“It sold pretty well,” Heidi says. “It sold six on Friday night and two on Saturday night. I was pretty happy.”
While her desserts are finding fans in Asheville, her biggest supporter cheers her on from 571 miles away.
“I’m super proud,” says Rachel. “I’m sure I’ve annoyed people telling them about her. It’s just like, I can’t believe this is actually happening.”
A culinary journey
Heidi has helped her family in the kitchen since she was little, from baking with her grandma to cooking Sunday breakfast with her dad and her brothers. When her parents got Netflix, she couldn’t stop watching “The Great British Baking Show.” Then, when the world shut down in 2020 due to COVID-19 regulations, she started trying more complicated recipes.
“My favorite thing she makes are her macarons,” Rachel says. “She’s actually really good — she’s only tried them a couple times — but from the first time she tried it, she nailed it.”
An 11-year-old Heidi Craig shows off her baking skills as she poses for a photo.
A 2023 alumna of Solanco High School, Heidi is a second-year student at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where she plans to obtain her associate degree in pastry arts. When Heidi attended the institute’s annual fall internship fair, she learned about the pastry internship opportunity at the Biltmore Estate. She applied and, a few weeks later, was offered the position.
Growing up in southern Lancaster County, Heidi spent her high school summers working in the kitchen at Indian Lake Christian Camp in Darlington, Maryland — just over 10 miles south of the York County line. Falling in love with the kitchen setting, she gained valuable experience that solidified her future in the culinary world.
“I really enjoyed cooking for other people and the kids, seeing back then that personal connection that you can have through food,” Heidi says.
During her second interview for her Biltmore internship, Heidi was asked about a time she had shown leadership. Brought back to her summers at Indian Lake Christian Camp, she recalled a time she stepped up for chef Verna Clayton.
One summer, Clayton’s mother passed away. She put her trust in Heidi to be in charge of the kitchen for the week. She left behind a set of instructions when Heidi was only 16.
“She knew exactly how I did things,” Clayton says. “She had the recipes written down — she had everything. I told her to add her own touches to it, and she did. She did very, very, very well.”
Clayton worked with Heidi for three years and keeps in touch with her regularly as she spends more time at the Biltmore. An alumna of the Culinary Institute of America herself, she has pushed Heidi into reaching her full potential.
“When she first joined us she was a shy little sunflower,” Clayton says. “I am beyond proud of Heidi. I had no doubt that she would receive an extraordinary internship because of her skills. She can do anything she puts her mind to, she’s relentless.”
A bright future
“My main takeaway from this internship is learning what kind of place I would want to work at,” Heidi says. “I really enjoyed Cedric’s, I loved the pace of it.”
Moving forward, Heidi will go back to school as an orientation leader, showing students around campus and getting them excited about attending the Culinary Institute of America. With only two semesters ahead of her, Heidi hopes to score a job at a hotel or casual dining restaurant after graduating. She encourages others to stick to their strengths and devote their time to careers that they love.
“If you have a passion, if you have something you really love, go for it,” Heidi says. “So many people are in a job they don’t really love, so finding something you really enjoy or look forward to is important.”
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