Phyllis Vaccarelli

Phyllis Vaccarelli 1945 – 2018 On September 5th, 2018 Phyllis Vaccarelli suffered a massive stroke and gently passed away on September 7th, 2018. Born in Brooklyn, New York on September 26th, 1945 and originally trained as a psychologist, earning a Master’s degree in Psychiatric Social Work from Florida State University in 1970, her career took an unusual and serendipitous turn with the purchase of a cooking school and retail storefront in Westlake Village in 1984. With drive and determination she took a small business and turned it into an enterprise with an international reputation. In its 30 year plus history under her direction, Let’s Get Cookin’ hosted the finest chefs in the world. In 2007, Phyllis was awarded the International Association of Culinary Professionals Award of Excellence. Many of her student’s careers were started and lives enriched by this remarkable woman. Those of us who were fortunate to know her on a more personal level were blessed with a glimpse of an equally great heart, always generous with her time and efforts to those around her and in the community. From serving on the advisory board of the Los Angeles “Careers through Culinary Arts Program” (CCAP) which provides culinary scholarships to inner city youth, to more locally supporting Senior Concerns “Ultimate Dining Experience” fundraisers, as well as many other charities through the years. In addition to three brothers, their spouses, nieces, nephews and many friends, she leaves behind a spouse of 49 years, Vincent Vaccarelli. Vincent is battling advanced Parkinson’s disease. In lieu of flowers or any other acknowledgements, it is requested that donations be made to a Go Fund Me page (under his name) set up for his support. Checks may be mailed directly to: Vincent Vaccarelli, P.O. Box 6242, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362. Private Service to be held.