Chief Culinary Officer at Counter Service

I have never been interested in any other line of work — this profession just felt right. Both my parents are artists and I grew up baking a lot of bread and cooking with them. We ate a mostly vegetarian macrobiotic diet which led me to think about food much differently than most of my childhood friends. When the time came for me to get a job, the only thing that felt right was food. In high school, I entered a baking competition at Le Cordon Bleu, won 1st place, and got a small scholarship.

To help avoid burnout, take time for yourself. Take a trip. Splurge on a nice meal. Little things go a long way.

Every day I get a little better at being present at home when I am at home. In the past, I was constantly on my phone emailing and planning when not at work. Of course, that still happens from time to time, but I am proud to mostly disconnect at home to rest and recharge.

For my job, we rely heavily on Meez for recipe management, Google Sheets for prep lists, and a custom label printer to neatly label ingredients and finished goods in their containers in the kitchen — I do not miss cutting tape and writing with Sharpies.

We had a rare opportunity to pivot restaurant concepts from Kernel to Counter Service. The team’s efforts to quickly R&D, brand, build, and open a new concept in a few weeks time was remarkable and would not have been possible without everyone's will to make it happen.

The one thing I can’t live without in order to do my job is caffeine, apparently.

Traveling, dining out, and reading are the best ways to continue education in this industry.

NYC is constantly changing and every week there is a new hot restaurant. We truly live in a bubble here and I am thankful to be surrounded by such talented industry professionals that keep pushing the envelope and also honor traditions.

Transferable skills I look for when hiring include basic knowledge of Google Docs and Sheets.

While working in fine dining in Arizona, I was inspired to move to NYC to level-up my experience. I knew I wanted to work for certain chefs and at certain restaurants, but I moved to New York not having any job lined up. I staged around and did a lot of trials. I was very patient and put in the time to learn from the bottom at each opportunity, knowing deep down that eventually I would get to where I wanted to be.

The most impactful job of my career was cooking alongside Kevin Binkley at his namesake restaurant in Arizona. He was fresh from the old school days of working at The French Laundry and brought that level of intensity to a remote kitchen in the desert. He sourced very high quality ingredients and demanded nothing short of perfection from everyone on the team. He taught me how to move quickly, efficiently, and most importantly: how to use salt.

Our team comes from a lot of different backgrounds, so we mutually get excited to learn about food from their cultures. I feel like we are always talking about what each other made for dinner or where they went to eat on their days off. Regarding educating the team, we are transparent about how the business is doing and share information about sales. Being in a growth stage now adds a lot of excitement and motivates the team to continue pushing.

Some podcasts I enjoy include "How I Built This" with Guy Raz, "Today Explained," and "The Daily."

I like the energy of kitchens and that intensity tends to bleed into my personal life which is often unnecessary. When I do make moments of quiet, I enjoy reading (often cookbooks) because I feel like I am intentionally slowing down and putting in effort to learn and get inspired.

My two main sources of inspiration come from seasonal ingredients and dining out in foreign countries. Single ingredients at their peak season, new ingredients I’ve never seen before, and unfamiliar techniques often provide weeks of fresh ideas and new trains of thought.

Having a strong foundation of the basics is a must for my area of work. Also keen attention to detail, consistency, and knowing when to ask questions. Striking a balance of humility and confidence can create a very productive, healthy environment.

I look for positivity, respectfulness, and a strong work ethic when hiring. Having an open mind and saying “yes” to opportunities can open doors in the long term that could be life-changing. It’s no secret that this industry can be tough, so being able to push through and work hard is a baseline.

A piece of advice that has stuck with me is from Jamal James Kent: "Having empathy is critical to being a good leader.” Empathy was a foreign word to me for many years as a young cook. Being able to connect with your team on a deeper level will help foster a positive work environment and likely inspire others to reach their full potential, in turn, strengthening the team as a whole.