After spending 10 years, or so, cooking in family-owned kitchens from Iowa to New Jersey, then New York City to San Diego, digging in deep to work the insanely long hours in largely thankless and unforgiving environments, I met the woman who would become my wife and knew it was time to get serious about this cooking thing. Ever the curious one, I bounced around Southern California cooking various cuisines for a myriad of chefs who had been trained under Michelin Starred chefs themselves, soaking up all they had to teach little ol’ me. I had the pleasure of working directly under the direction of incredible chefs like Carl Schroeder of Market Kitchen + Bar in Del Mar, Ryan Johnston of Catania and Bernard Guillas of The Marine Room in La Jolla, and the Cajun/Creole legend Bud Deslatte for many years. And then, after already having an extensive resume under my belt, I decided it might be time to get that coveted culinary degree. I graduated with honors (and a fancy little Culinary Excellence Award to boot!) and was ready to elevate my cooking to new heights.

Before relocating to the South, I helmed a little-known private dining club called Cow By Bear for about 3 years. Filmmaker Marq Evans and I, while donning a costume, set out to create a truly authentic dining experience experiment combining 5-star cuisine with the whimsical storytelling of the adventures of a Kodiak brown bear. As the Executive Chef I was shrouded in mystery, and it was through these dinners that I truly learned how to connect strangers not just with each other but with the food I was cooking–a priceless lesson that would change the way I viewed the power of food and flavor forever.

But enough about me, I want to connect with and cook food for YOU. Whatever the celebration, whatever your tastes, let’s work together to create a unique experience that brings everyone together to remember how delicious life can be.