As a Chef

Background

Chilled Corn Consomme
Jellied Crab

A Nebraska native, I served in the U.S. Navy from 1981 to 1985 as a rescue swimmer, specializing in anti-submarine warfare. After circling the globe, I found I needed to fulfill a high school curiosity inspired by my grandmother. I moved to the East coast and enrolled in the Culinary School of Washington, D.C. While in the capital, I launched my culinary career through celebrity dinners (benefits with Julia Child, Paul Bocuse), charity fundraisers (Share our Strength) and local professional associations in the company of accomplished (Jean Louis Paladin, Jimmy Sneed) and aspiring chefs.

From the Willard Intercontinental across from the White House and the Canterbury Hotel on DuPont Circle in Washington, D.C., I headed south to Powhatan Plantation Resort in historic Williamsburg, Virginia, then west to California. A chef’s paradise, the San Francisco Bay area yielded the Claremont Resort & Spa, Stars of Palo Alto with Jeremiah Tower, and the Mark Hopkins Intercontinental. 

While based in Santa Fe for nearly five years, I enjoyed the prestigious Rancho Encantado Resort and the Hotel Loretto. I’ve provided consulting service to several local restaurants as well as Gateways Inn in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts and a Relais and Chateaux property in southern Georgia. I instructed at the Santa Fe School of Cooking and was sponsored in January of 2000 to cook for the James Beard House in New York City.

Completed my Baking & Pastry Arts degree from Johnson & Wales University in 2007, my Bachelors degree from Portland State University in 2013.

I have since gained extensive experience with seafood at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut with multi-venues. Now making my home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with Vibrant Table Catering.

About Food

My grandmother on her Nebraska farm knew fifty years ago the revelation that would inspire most of today’s chefs. She used (by default) fresh, in-season foods native to her area, honoring the rhythm of the calendar and the abundance of her own backyard. Despite the efficiency of overnight delivery, I am glad this theory has come full circle.

In my kitchen, I strive to use the freshest ingredients in their prime. I prefer to use organic, free-range and local farmers whenever possible. There’s not a great deal in my freezer and you can count the number of cans in my pantry. With creative menu planning, there is very little wasted, food cost can be kept low and the results are glorious.

Philosophy of Work  

Education, communication, positive reinforcement and common sense are the keys to a smooth running kitchen. Open channels within the kitchen as well as between the front and back-of-the-house preserve the integrity of the restaurant’s goals. Cross-training, regular evaluations, clearly defined expectations and a good sense of humor are all encouraged.