Executive Chef and Partner at Delicious Hospitality Group

While working at Rubicon in San Francisco in 1998-1999, the wine director, Larry Stone, held a tasting for all the line cooks at the restaurant. We tasted a Bordeaux from the 1940s and that tasting really put me on the path I ended up following. Upon tasting the wine, I had this realization that the wine had been produced during World War II and the history behind it really made me think about how food is a vessel to tell someone’s story. That’s when I decided that I really wanted to dedicate my life to this, telling stories through the food I cook.

Aside from skills and experience, passion is really key for anyone who wants to work in the hospitality world. If you are passionate about the work and let it transpire every day, it will be easy to prove to a chef or restaurateur that they should take a chance on you.

I love developing ideas and drawing inspiration from my travels, the food I eat, the experiences I garner, etc. I think there are a lot of similarities between an artist and a chef so, to me, the creative process is pretty similar.