Tajiana Poellnitz is a self-made chef with a dream to serve others.
“Ultimately, I just have a kind-spirited heart and dire need to help people,” Poellnitz said. “Often times I feel very hopeless and that derives from me already trying to exert myself in hardships for others, reassuring them that they’re not alone. This encouraged me to go even harder in being an advocate for people from all walks of life, especially the less fortunate individuals.”
Now a junior, Tajiana Poellnitz returned to UToledo to earn a bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies, and hopes to open a nonprofit culinary readiness program for less-fortunate communities.
Now a junior pursuing a degree in Asian Studies, Poellnitz first joined UToledo in fall 2011 pursuing a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education with a minor in English to be an international English teacher before leaving for nine years later to raise her son.
It was during this time away from the University that she pursued her passion for cooking.
“I became a self-taught private and traveling chef,” she said. “I’ve had the joy of teaching kids how to cook. Clients and families trust in me to travel near and around the country, preparing meals for holiday staff parties at mental health facilities, sorority chapter dinners and high school class reunions.”
Her expertise has led her to being featured on various news programs in her hometown of Cincinnati and privately cooking for Cincinnati Bengal players such as Tee Higgins, Auden Tate, Trayveon Williams and Cam Taylor-Britt.
“I landed a spot in a program through the Freestore Food Bank called Cincinnati COOKS! in 2018,” Poellnitz said. “Through that program I received my manager’s ServeSafe certification and was able to display my skills with guiding the Cincinnati Red’s family in making pasta from scratch, all the way to assisting as a vendor at the Taste of NFL. It was then I knew this is surely my newfound passion to not only help but service others.”
During the pandemic, Poellnitz wrote a cookbook for her son, which has a planned publication date in 2026.
“After I decided to give the private traveling chef life a chance, I instantly considered my son and what business I could come up with for him. That’s when I thought of a kid’s cookbook: ‘Mama Said Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, and the Naptime,’ ” she said. “This kid-friendly as well as adult-informative cookbook covers the importance of educating children on various foods, encouraging parents to make grocery shopping fun and educational as well as teaching them other cooking skills.”
Poellnitz returned to UToledo in fall 2024 to pursue a degree in Asian Studies.
“I have a deep, inner love for Japan and its culture,” she said. “I grew up taking Japanese from kindergarten through eighth grade, with a gap in structure throughout high school due to budget cuts, and starting back during my first go-round at UToledo from 2011 to 2015.”
It was her desire to help others that led her on a study abroad mission to Les Cayes, Haiti, with Dr. Sammy Spann, senior associate vice president and dean of students.
Spann said Poellnitz had a true passion for working with others.
“I have had the privilege of watching Taj grow up here at The University of Toledo. I first met her when she enrolled in a service-learning course that included a week of service in Haiti,” he said. “From the start, Taj stood out. She pushed herself to build deep and meaningful connections with classmates she might not have otherwise met.
“Taj’s path to her degree has not been easy, and she has faced challenges along the way. What I admire most about her is her determination and her unwavering commitment to her dreams. Whether she’s writing children’s books or building her catering business, I know Taj will continue to make a lasting impact on the world.”
Poellnitz said she hopes to one day open a nonprofit culinary readiness program for less-fortunate communities in rural and urban areas abroad.
“The vision is to provide food education, resources and opportunities where they’re scarce, helping people build sustainable futures in hopes they have the opportunity of running my chain of nonprofit restaurants directly from my training program to keep the cycle of giving back with great flavor alive,” she said. “I want to be remembered as someone who poured into others. A modern-day Mother Teresa in the culinary world, but with a global reach like never before.”
Dining and Cooking