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31855 Date Palm Dr. Ste. 3-123 Cathedral City, CA 92234

Current Position:

Managing Director: Palm Springs

Cooking School; Writer/Content

Creator: BBQ Rescues Foundation.

First Foodservice Job: In high school and college, got job as busboy at fine-dining restaurants and did a McDonald’s commercial at 16.

Awards/Honors:

• Grill Master Champion – Food Network: “Cutthroat Kitchen”.

• Eat Judge – World Food Championships.

• Presenter, National BBQ and Grilling Association (NBBQA).

• Media Appearances: FrankenFood (SpikeTV), Farmers’ Market Flip (Cooking Channel), Vanderpump Rules (BravoTV).

Memorable Customers: MomFoo and RedFoo [from music group] LMFAO]; Rita Ora (popstar); Blake Mycoskie (founder, Tom’s Shoes); Tom and Katie (Engagement Party, Season 4 Finale “Vanderpump Rules” BravoTV); Marielle Hadid (interior designer, sister of Bella and Gigi Hadid); Janine Jarman (reality TV star, celebrity stylist: Hairroin Salon); Ari Levine (Grammy-winning writer: “Locked Out of Heaven” feat. Bruno Mars).

Favorite Food to Prepare: Lately, I have become obsessed with Mircogreens and am working on recipes to better integrate them into our daily eating routines.

If you couldn’t be a chef, what would you be and why? An Actor. I starred in plays in High School and Community Theatre, and did a few commercials. Had bit parts in movies and TV after I moved from Chicago to L.A.

Worst Part of Job: The occasional cranky client and inebriated guests. Most Humorous Kitchen Mishap: My first Chicago pizza-themed restaurant was located near the studios on Venice Boulevard in Culver City, CA in the early 2000s. One night the staff was goofing off and laughing after finishing a rush of orders. I looked up, and David Faustino (Bud) of “Married With Children” was staring me in the face with this look, like: “Who are these Idiots?” Needless to say, he walked out without trying anything.

Best advice you ever got was: The Japanese word for “Crisis” (Wei Ji) translates in English to also meaning “opportunity”. In business, as well as cooking, every failure is an opportunity to learn how to better succeed in the future.

Where do you like to vacation: All around the world. Favorite places (so far) have been Greece, Paris and Costa Rica. Stateside, I like dining and cooking classes in New Orleans, LA. Also to visit family in San Antonio, TX and was in Chicago this past Thanksgiving. I shot a recipe for Smoky Garden Guacamole at my sisters house that trended at #1 in Google News for weeks.

What do you enjoy most about FIN: First of all, I am honored to be part of this venerable, long running publication. I like your comprehensive coverage of the Food Industry and some of the most interesting Business and Chef personalities who comprise it. A huge plus is that it is from my hometown Chicago- a world class food destination (to those in the know). Every time I go back, I am pleasantly surprised by the innovative restaurants to be found. Other than family, who was your greatest culinary influence?

Chef Michael DeVidts (New Orleans School of Cooking) and Alton Brown (via Food Network to Commercial Actor). Chef Michael was an Instructor when we first met in 2012, and is now the school’s Director. His cooking class was by far the most fun, informative and well-executed I ever experienced in my life. I was invited back the next year to Sous Chef for a class.