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Currently we have 19 Chefs answering questions for us.
Click on any of their names below to learn more about them! |
Chef Jessica Hersh
| Start Date:10/12/99 | Questions Answered: 715 |
| From: Colorado | Click here for all Jessica 's answers |
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Bio:
Jessica has experience working in many kinds of professional kitchens - from
a small bistro to a large hotel - doing several jobs - including pastry
development, working the grill, oven, and garde manger stations, washing
dishes and being the sous chef. She is currently working as a private chef - caterer.
Jessica is a graduate of Scottsdale Culinary Institute and considers each new
experience to be part of her continuing education. She reads everything she
can about food production, nutrition, and cooking.
More recently Jessica is teaching cooking classes, both
open to the public and private and writing restaurant
reviews for the boulderweekly. If anyone is interested in one of Jessicas
classes contact her at chefhersh@yahoo.com!
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Chef David Burnham
| Start Date:10/12/99 | Questions Answered: 371 |
| From: | Click here for all David 's answers |
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Bio:
Chef Burnham began his career 28 years ago with an apprenticeship in a hotel in Syracuse NY. He has since graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America. David has spent several years as Chef of private businessmen's clubs, hotels, and resorts from Palm Springs FL. to the coast of Maine.
Chef Burnham is currently the owner/chef of a small restaurant in Bethel, Maine.
Having served as the Executive Chef at a resort which served 1200 meals a day, as well as preparing fine gourmet dinners for 300 a night at a private club, Chef Burnham has had extensive experience in the kitchen. |
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Chef Scott Finley
| Start Date:02/08/00 | Questions Answered: 115 |
| From: Platteville, Wisconson | Click here for all Scott 's answers |
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Bio:
Chef Finley, born in Philly, but raised in N.J. on the ocean, learned about good fish and seafood at an early age. He began cooking at 14 years old
and has been at it now for 25 yrs.
He is a 1985 grad of The Culinary Institute of America and worked for Hilton, Wyndham, Omni, and Holiday Inn.
His experience is in luxury, business, and resort hotels.
Scott has called such locations as Anaheim,CA., Phila.PA, Barbados WI., Myrtle Beach, S.C.,MIlwaukee,WI. , Newport News, VA., Harrisburg, Pa. home.
He has been a titled Executive Chef for 11 yrs. and am presently Executive
Chef/ Assoc. Director of Dining Services at the University of Wisconsin-
Platteville, in Platteville, WI., were he am responsible for approx. 250
employees. They feed approx. 15,000 students weekly.
Chef Finley has been a member of the American Culinary Federation since 1987 and
received his Executive Chef Certification in 1998.
Chef Finley is passionate about what he does for a living, and spends a great deal of time
trying to convince people that cooking is a very real, exciting, viable
profession. |
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Chef Peter Carr
| Start Date:12/15/00 | Questions Answered: 5 |
| From: | Click here for all Peter 's answers |
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Bio:
Peter is a Scottish alto who has been based in Kent, England for over 20 years. He has also worked in the travel industry just as long primarily traveling in a product development role i.e. designing holidays, negotiating with hoteliers Airlines etc.
As you can imagine, food plays a major part in that experience.
Peter has been lucky to experience all of the major world cuisines over his travel career, which has fuelled an interest in cookery and wine.
Inspired by meeting professional chefs, he also has a great interest in cookery writing and journalism. His favorite styles of food include Japanese, Indian, Vegetarian, and at home on the Kent coast, he is very keen on all types of fish cookery.
Although not a formally trained Chef, Peters’ love of food and his incredible knowledge of the foods from around the world make him an excellent resource of information.
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Chef Henry Bousquet
| Start Date:01/25/01 | Questions Answered: 16 |
| From: | Click here for all Henry 's answers |
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Bio:
Chef Henry Bousquet began cooking at 14 years old working for french chef
Marcel Godbout. It was here he became aware of what it takes to be a
professional chef. He is an active member in the American Culianry Federation
and has won awards in cooking through the Vocational Industrial Clubs of
America. Along the way Henry has worked all over southeastern Massachsetts.
Mostly in fine dining where he became aware of all the aspects of everything
from american to french and even korean cuisine. His philosophy for good food
is this," Great meals come from superb ingredients and great care in
preparation and presentation." Henry teaches part time at a vocational high
school and maintains a position as a professional chef in a private
establishment. Chef Henry hopes to inspire passion amongst those who cook,to
cook with passion is to be a great cook. In order for it (passion) to grow
you must foster it's growth with education and experimentation.
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Chef Raul Lomas
| Start Date:03/24/01 | Questions Answered: 45 |
| From: | Click here for all Raul 's answers |
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Bio:
Chef Lomas joins us from Arizona where he currently the part owner of a Catering and Wholesale business.
Put in his own words, Chef Lomas strives "To endlessly pursue perfection as a chef, culinary artist, & purveyor of happiness through service & food.
Eloquently described, below is Raul's philosophy on the Culinary Arts:
"Our food is worth little if there is no part of us within it. When cooking, a cook should not have to follow some regimented technic or recipe for any one dish. If we are not allowed to give some part of ourselves to a dish then the food cannot possibly be its best. This is what makes extraordinary food ordinary. When the Chef creates their dish it can be magnificent. When they then give this dish to a cook and have the cook prepare the same dish in the exact same manner the dish can never be as magnificent. It will not attain the level of beauty it had under it’s creator unless the cook has the ability to make it special, to give a little of himself to the dish. It is possible to be true to the Chef’s original concept of the dish while sharing with it a piece of your own soul.
So, to have the finest food prepared it is not necessary for the Chef to have their hand in everything. It is only necessary to create the finest dishes and to train as perfect as possible. Training is key. A true Chef should train their cooks to develop their inner art and perfect quality. This is opposed to developing the Chef’s own art and quality. If the cooks can experience their own high level of art and quality (excellence), then the food will not suffer but grow under their own individual influence and guidance. The excellent food and service is directly reflected upon the Chef though credit for the translation must go to the cook."
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Chef Martha Hughes
| Start Date:07/05/01 | Questions Answered: 35 |
| From: | Click here for all Martha 's answers |
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Bio:
Cooking and baking are two of Marthas favorite loves. "I can barely remember a
time when I wasn't helping Mom in the kitchen with cookies, or "tweaking" a
recipe into my own creation. I have been baking everything from breads to
cakes to cookies for nearly three decades, and I think I have encountered
(and solved!) just about every problem and question about baking there could
be."
Martha has recently been hired in her first paid position as part-time pastry
chef for the historic Fillmore Dance Hall in San Francisco. This is the very
same place that Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead played in the 60s and
that a huge variety of acts play today. They have a great kitchen and Martha is
honored to be making desserts for the shows.
For years before this position, She has made desserts and given them away to friends and
colleagues for years. Martha also makes her own bread each week. "I cannot remember
the last time I bought bread at the grocery store." During the day, Martha works as
a customer liaison officer helping her company's financial officers solve
problems, but during the off-time, she is thinking about what she will make next.
For Martha, cooking is an obssession of a lifetime.
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Chef Allejandro Barreda Westphal
| Start Date:08/15/01 | Questions Answered: 204 |
| From: | Click here for all Allejandro Barreda 's answers |
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Bio:
As an Executive Chef in the Food and Beverage Services Section, Business Operations Branch for a large resort in Mexico, Chef Westphal served in the planning and managing of all food activities in the facility. He was responsible for the necessary training of kitchen and dining room employees to insure standard preparation techniques and customer presentation. Chef Westphal established proper controls for management surveillance and integrated catering requirements into food service operations. He also suggested changes in operating procedures when necessary, Formulated policies in total quality food preparation and service for management review.
He enjoys combining ethnic flavors and influences with classical culinary methods. Chef Westphal strives for combinations that make sense; “I don't over manipulate or over garnish the food. My focus is to allow the natural colors, textures and flavors of the food to complement each other and come through on their own.” His main area of focus is the flavors of his wonderful regional Mexican cuisine. He also enjoys experimenting with French, Italian and Asian influences.
Chef Westphal has a web portal of his own; www.tips.com.mx , which is intended for women in Spanish, it has a good gastronomy chapter that has up to 400 recipes with photo. He writes recipes now for Lycos Chapter-Women in Spanish for most of the Latin
American countries, he also writes recipes for Men's Health in Spanish for Mexico and for the America’s and more recipes for other newspapers and magazines around the World.
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Chef Rolf Hensche
| Start Date:09/29/01 | Questions Answered: 13 |
| From: | Click here for all Rolf 's answers |
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Bio:
Chef Hensche was born and in Germany, Eschweiler in 1961. After the completion of High School he started his career in the Food & Beverage Industry in 1976 by taking a 3 year apprenticeship as Hotel Service Specialist at the Restaurant Elisenbrunnen GmbH in Aachen, Germany. After successfully completing his training he then went on to work in a variety of top hotels across Germany. In 1982, after completion of his compulsory military duty he joined Royal Caribbean Cruise Line where Rolf worked as a Busboy for about six months mainly to learn the English language and of course to see the world. Rolf returned in 1983 to Germany where he worked for a brief time again in Hotels and started in 1984 his own Restaurant "The
Worldmap", in Meerbush, Duesseldorf. They offered a variety of international dishes and the Restaurant was a success. In 1986 an intersted peaked in the Cunard Line and their top class vessels. It became clear that his future was not in a shore based environment at that time and within a few months Rolf joined Cunards vessel "MS Sagafjord" as a waiter. 14 Years later he still works for Cunard, however again shore side in the position as Corporate
Manager for Food & Beverage Control. He met Herbert Waldner, his current business partner, on board the Sea Goddess and kept in contact over the years. The idea of creating a top
class catering service developed and became, with the help of Herbert, a reality. Going back to the sea has not yet again crossed his mind but one does not know what the future holds.......
Rolf and Herbert now run that very top class catering service.
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Chef Mark Webster
| Start Date:10/22/01 | Questions Answered: 521 |
| From: | Click here for all Mark 's answers |
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Bio:
Chef Webster is a Certified Executive Chef and Certified Culinary Educator through the (ACF)American Culinary Federation, a Chef member of the James Beard Foundation and a member of the (NICA) National Ice Carvers Association.
He has worked at Hotels, Independent Restaurants and The Darden Restaurant Group. Chef Mark is an Executive Chef for a 600 Seat Dinner Theatre serving over 4800 guests per week. Additonally he is the Corporate Executive Chef for a restaurant chain with locations in 14 states.
Chef Webster has also had the opportunity to volunteer at several James Beard Dinners which is always a treat.
Mark has lived in numerous countries including Guam, Greece, Cuba, Spain, Antartica. Have traveled to over 35 countries. Also he's lived in various Cities giving me an additonal look into Regional Cuisine (Charleston, SC, Key West, FL, Chicago, IL and currently reside in Kansas City, MO.
Although there have been many proud moments in his career, one that really stands out was in 1985 when he interviewed at the Presidential Retreat Camp David.
Chef Webster has an extensive background and would be an excellent resource for people with culinary woes.
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Chef Aiden Corrigan
| Start Date:01/08/02 | Questions Answered: 112 |
| From: | Click here for all Aiden 's answers |
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Bio:
Chef Corrigan trained in 1996 at Britains top catering college and has worked in some of the best hotels and resturants around. He is currently working as sous chef at the britania international hotel in birmingham city centre. Chef Corrigan says his main love for the job is the buzz from doing it when he cooks for a large banquet. "it gives me great sattisfaction to know that i was responsible for it and i have made a lot of people happy,
cooking for me is a rush its like a action sport when were busy the adrenalin starts to rush and thats what makes it so enoyable" |
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Chef Susan Ottevanger
| Start Date:01/08/02 | Questions Answered: 61 |
| From: | Click here for all Susan 's answers |
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Bio:
Susan is the author of "Running On PREMIUM FUEL" - a report from Planet Diet on what's new, what works, what's safe and what lasts. Recipes in the book range from Coquilles St. Jacques to Cabbage Rolls. She can convert almost any favorite dish into Premium Fuel (eat meat, eat potatoes, just not in the same meal, use only whole grains, no refined sugar). Visit www.premiumfuel.com for a free printout of the 'Fuel Formula.
Her experiences in food preparation include: for backpacking, cruising on a small sailboat, cook her own catch - Stone Crab to Broiled Barracuda, to Sunday Dinners for 30+ at her college co-op (5 hours of work gone in 5 minutes). Susan was a speaker at the huge LA Times Health & Fitness Festival and answers questions on health headlines, diet and nutrition at allexperts.com.
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Chef Varaporn Chuenjaipanich
| Start Date:01/30/02 | Questions Answered: 0 |
| From: | Click here for all Varaporn 's answers |
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Bio:
Varaporn joins us from Bangkok, Thailand where he currently has a bakery shop. selling Thai-style breakfast : milk, old Thai style coffee ,western coffee, breakfast buns, soft buns with Thai custard, and bakery products such as : chicken pie, buns with pork, buns with chicken curry. He is also the research and development manager for the “Great Food Group co., ltd. “ Bangkok, Thailand where he develops new products : dehydrated fruit for cereal : dehydrated tropical fruit, fruit pickle preserved fruit and vegetable in water, in syrup, in brine packed in can, glass jar and plastic jar as well as designed the process line for new products.
Trained at Kasetsart University in Bangkok, he holds a B.S. in food science and technology.
His family has one food shop. Varaporns father and mother were both cooks. His father being good at Chinese food and his mother was good at Thai and Chinese food. He learned to cook when I was young and cooking is his favorite thing.
“Now I love to cook but not eat so much due to my weight.”
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Chef Albert Anderson
| Start Date:02/13/02 | Questions Answered: 131 |
| From: | Click here for all Albert 's answers |
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Bio:
Chef Anderson started in the culinary business at 16, doing a
classical apprenticeship in his home town of
Philadelphia. He has lived and worked all over the U.S, Maryland,New Orleans,Oakland Ca,Napa Valley,Honolulu Hi, and most recently in Northern Virginia as Executive Chef/Owner of Anderson-Bolyn Catering. He is a Coast Guard Veteran and is currently writing an e-book about food as apohrodisiacs,"Food for Passion,Passion for Food" to include all original recipes,interviews and romantic tips.
Albert feels very passionate about the culinary arts and
has devoted his life to the art form.
“Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than nurturing and inspiring budding chefs and "foodies" to fully experience the pleasure and joy of preparing food for the ones they care about. I feel there is no greater gift than an evening of good food and good company.”
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Chef Ivan Rodriguez
| Start Date:04/23/02 | Questions Answered: 15 |
| From: | Click here for all Ivan 's answers |
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Bio:
Chef Rodiriguez was born in Medellin, Colombia; His parents and he moved to New York City in
the early 70s. Ivan started working in the restaurant business at the age of 14
as a busboy (yes he's a lifer). His father was a captain at very fine
restaurants, like Sign Of The Dove, One if by land two if by sea, Picco lo
mundo, Brassiere, The four seasons, The Monkey Bar, Tavern on the green. Ivan got his start
working in some of these restaurants as a bus boy or helping to
prep in the kitchen. He would work every summer vacation. When Ivan graduated
from high school He went on to study at the CIA, and has been cooking ever since.
Currently living in Florida, Chef Rodriguez is the manager of the Longhorn Steak House where he ensures that all corporate recourses are used to maximize team member productivity, and is responsible for all training of staff, in addition to other dutites of running a 280 seat restaurant. |
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Chef tracey Harris
| Start Date:08/05/02 | Questions Answered: 33 |
| From: | Click here for all tracey 's answers |
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Bio:
Chef Tracey L. Harris, He was born and raised in Newark, NJ and Learned how
to cook at the age of 15 and developed a passion for it. His cooking
experience has led him from nursing homes that housed almost two hundred to
restaurants in New Jersey that served over 350 in a single shift. He has had
the pleasure of rattling pots and pans with some of Marriott Hotel's finest
chefs as well as Sodexho Marriott, and Hilton Hotel.
Once he discovered cooking he was in love with it from then on, his love for
cooking allows him to not only take recipes and improve them but to create
recipes that are inspired by his love for the art of cooking. Chef Harris is
a firm believer in doing things in a not-so traditional way, if we as chefs
always do things by the book, we cannot truly be ourselves. Going by the
book is great as a guide, but doing it your own way is the only way to
become an artist.
"Other than being a Chef, I am working on my Bachelor's degree in Accounting
at Bloomfield College in Bloomfield, NJ.
After studying at The Professional Career Development Institute's School Of
Gourmet Cooking in Georgia, I quickly learned that school is fine when first
learning the basics about cooking, but hands on is the way to become a chef.
I have learned that lesson working right next to some of the finest chefs in
the field of cooking and it led to me being promoted to the rank of chef by
my co-worker and mentor who was also the executive chef of the restaurant.
To those who are contemplating a career in the field of cooking, remember
these words, when choosing a career make sure it is what you love and you
will do it very well and if you decide to become a chef do not be
discouraged by all the talk of fancy restaurants and cooking schools, none
of that is as important as your desire to learn and to excel. There are
chefs who are self appointed chefs because of their passion for cooking and
their confidence in their ability, start out with the desire and work from
there, a small restaurant, a diner, a nursing home, and keep building and
you will find your self right where you want to be.
In my sparetime I enjoy chess, sewing with my wife, and reading, when ever
the kids allow me some quiet time."
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Chef Steve Halstead
| Start Date:09/30/02 | Questions Answered: 214 |
| From: | Click here for all Steve 's answers |
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Bio:
Steve Halstead is Food production lecturer for Catering Studies at Bradford in West Yorkshire England. Steve has been teaching for over 15 years and has a range of students from 15 years old to 70 years old.
A member of the Master Chefs Of Great Britain and Association Culinaire Francaise. He has competed at Hotelympia London, France, Jersey and Guernsey in numerous Salon Culinaires and national competitions.
Steve started his career in Yorkshire when 12 ½ years old starting from the bottom, washing up through to owning his own restaurants on the Island of Guernsey.
Now working as a full-time educator, teaching and demonstrating and offering short courses.
He also writes for the local newspaper and has regular slots on BBC local radio. When not in the kitchen at work, you will find him at home either in the kitchen or his library of 600 cookery books dating from 1830 - 2006. The latest edition being Mary Berry's Cook now, Eat later, which has one of Steve's recipes acknowledge. |
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Chef Rob DeReamer
| Start Date:07/23/06 | Questions Answered: 22 |
| From: | Click here for all Rob 's answers |
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Bio:
Chef DeReamer has been around food ever since he was young. He was always in the
kitchen helping or watching his mother and grandmother cook or bake. He really started working with food at the age of 15 with a local catering company just doing odds and ends. From there Chef DeReamer moved onto a high volume banquet facility, starting off still very green and learing the ropes from the
Executive Chef who took him under his wing. He received his formal culinary
training from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI where he received
an A.A.S. in Culinary Arts and a B.S. in Foodservice Management. He has also worked for high-end high volume country clubs. He was part of the
opening team at a jazz club/restaurant in downtown Providence, RI, serving
as the Sous Chef. Currently Chef DeReamer is working Chef within the corporate dining
sector of the Foodservice Industry. Outside of work Rob spends his time
brainstorming new recipes or creaions, and enjoying sports, and with family and
friends.
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Chef Ross Fraser
| Start Date:10/06/06 | Questions Answered: 170 |
| From: | Click here for all Ross 's answers |
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Bio:
| European-trained and world-renowned Executive Chef, Ross Fraser, currently an independent restaurant consultant has over 25 year experience working in the kitchen. Chef Fraser has worked all over the world and has won various awards and accolades. He also had a wide experience with on the job training for culinary externs. |
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