I began working as a dishwasher in Stanwood, Washington when I was fifteen years old. My cousin, who was in desperate need of a line cook, apparently saw some potential in me.  I was sixteen years old when I began working as a line cook at an airport in Arlington; at this time, I had never thought much of becoming a chef. Cooking had always made me feel good and I thoroughly enjoyed the people aspect of it. I was majoring in math at Washington State University when I was introduced to chef named Bill Cambell. He worked at a restaurant called the Combray and he asked what I was doing with my life. That question, and speaking with him, changed my life forever. I enrolled at his alma mater, Baltimore International Culinary College. I graduated from B.I.C. with an Associates of Arts degree in Professional Cooking and Baking. I then went on to cook at the historic Hotel Belvedere as a sous chef and also cooked at the most popular restaurant in Baltimore, Spike and Charlies. As I was still young, living life and learning new things were a priority so I became a cook at a dude ranch in Arizona and later cooked at a fly fishing resort in Colorado. I returned home with many great stories and a new spice for life. I began working at the Everett Golf and Country Club as the Food and Beverage Manager, and from there, renewed my passion for cooking by taking the position of Sous Chef at Blackfish Restaurant at the Tulalip Resort Casino.

My True Passion:

Local Markets and Teaching:
I love showing new people the tricks of the trade. I love teaching the jargon of the kitchen as well as the discipline that is cuisine a la minute.  I love the fact that as chefs we never stop learning, there is so much that we can learn as a team. The diversity of the people I have worked with has not only enriched me as a chef but also as a person.  Learning of the cultures as using our local ingredients and manipulating them to become their own is just amazing and it renews my love of cuisine everyday.

In 5 years I would like to be:

still working at the Tulalip Resort Casino. I would like to continue to learn more aspects of the kitchen operations here and continue my education with more classes on how to do the basic skills that the chefs are looking for here at the Tulalip Resort Casino. Tulalip Resort Casino puts a tremendous focus on education, especially at the supervisory roles; they want to put you in a position to succeed. I would like to continue this through our staff so that we can continue to develop our team members here.

What ACF means to me:

ACF means a diverse culture to see what other chefs are doing in the industry.  It is a fraternity of compassion as well as creating a culture to be a top professional in an industry I have put my heart and soul into.  It is networking and creating young professionals in the culinary world while showing them to never give up. It is teaching and learning from people who have done it so many times and that they can show you the tricks to be successful no matter where you are.  ACF has given me the confidence to become a better chef and to strive for more not only for myself, but for my team around me.

View his favorite recipe below…