Experience

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  FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD, LLC

  • Baltimore, Maryland; Evergreen, Colorado

  • Executive Chef, Owner

    • Sep 2000 - Present
    • Baltimore, Maryland; Evergreen, Colorado

    Founded and developed successful recreational cooking school and catering company; Created and taught all curricula, including a variety of Mediterranean, European and Asian classes; Ethnic Wine and Beer Dinners, and a broad range of popular and trend timely cooking and baking/pastry classes in small, interactive, hands-on groups. Profitably sold school in 2015 for $250K.* Conceived and facilitated five distinct Team Building and Problem Solving formats for Fortune 500 clients including McCormick Spices, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Ghirardelli Chocolates, McCain Foods, JWMarriott, SouthWest Airlines, Boston Beer Company and more* Sold $300K Team Building events, Catering, and Cooking Classes annually for 15 years* Responsible for all purchasing and inventory; maintained a 19% food cost, and 18% labor cost * Established “Kids Cook!” a summer and after-school cooking program for children ages 8-to-16, still existent* Generated consistent 64% Profit Margin, controlling food costs at 14% and minimizing other business expenses* Trained, developed and supervised staff of 12 to accomplish the objectives of each catering event & cooking class* Successfully recruited and built relationships with top area chefs to teach cooking classes * Wrote bi-weekly food articles which appeared in Baltimore Sun for 6 yearsConsulting and Outside Lecturing Activities:* Consulted for McCormick Spices, Kroger Foods, and Boston Beer on Recipe Development* Guest Lecturer, Johns Hopkins University Graduate School, Baltimore, Maryland, 2009, 2010 & 2011* Host and guest segments on PBS’s Your Money & Business; Maryland Living; hosted pilots for cooking shows on ESPN and Nickelodeon; multiple appearances on local news* Featured in numerous articles in the Wall Street Journal, Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Examiner, Baltimore’s Child, & Jewish Times

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  Eatzi's Market and Bakery

  • Rockville, Maryland

  • Executive Pastry Chef & Bakery Manager

    • Feb 2005 - Jun 2006
    • Rockville, Maryland

    * Supervised daily production of more than 45 artisan breads and 250 individual baked goods.* Responsible for menu development and innovation of new monthly and seasonal items, and in-store promotions, resulting in increased in-store sales of 37%.* Scheduled, managed and trained tri-lingual staff of 19 bread and pastry bakers* Maintained 19% labor cost and 21% food cost

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  GRAUL'S MARKETS

  • Baltimore, Maryland

  • Food Editor & Marketing Director

    • 2000 - 2006
    • Baltimore, Maryland

    * Researched, wrote and edited more than 125 articles on food trends and food history for their Baltimore Sun insert with a distribution of more than 150,000 upscale homes.* Established customers relationships to ensure their understanding of uses of new ingredients and products

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  ANNUAL GUIDE FOR THE ARTS

  • Baltimore, Maryland Area

  • Co-Owner & Restaurant Account Manager

    • Aug 1999 - Jun 2002
    • Baltimore, Maryland Area

    • Generated over $197,000 in sponsorship revenue annually from 76 local and national restaurants; focusing on relationship based selling; resulted in a 78% sponsor renewal rate in our 2nd and 3rd year of publication• Established marketing/media partnerships with Infiniti Broadcasting and Maryland Public Television• Conceived, marketed, published and distributed a successful arts guide to 77,000 art patron households• Managed all aspects of business - production, ad design, and art patron database management• Effectively developed trust in new product while building relationships with ad agencies/business owners• Planned and hosted major events for art groups, sponsors and ad agencies to foster support

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  REICHENBACH & ASSOCIATES FOOD BROKERS

  • Greenvale, NY

  • Corporate Chef

    • Apr 1998 - May 1999
    • Greenvale, NY

    * Generated over $1.2M in national accounts (Perrier, Purdue, Nestlés, Stash Teas) in major hotel chains* Prospected potential hotel and restaurant partners through cold calling, internet research, and industry networking* Interfaced and built solid relationships with F&B Directors and Executive Chefs in major NYC restaurants & hotels * Worked directly with SYSCO and US Foods sales teams to increase acquisition and retention of key clients by providing culinary expertise in sales meetings and product training sessions * Conducted recipe research and development to promote private label products; developed sales and training materials; provided culinary and training support; executed product demonstrations to Executive Chefs and their staff as well as at National and proprietary Trade shows.

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  FRENCH CULINARY INSTITUTE

  • NYC

  • Pastry Chef Instructor

    • 1996 - 1997
    • NYC

    • Taught Jacques Torres how to make an angel food cake• Assisted Daniel Leader of Bread Alone in Artisan Breads workshopMentored by Master Pastry Chef Dieter Schorner, MPC.

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  NEW YORK RESTAURANT SCHOOL

  • New York, New York

  • Pastry Chef Instructor

    • 1990 - 1996
    • New York, New York

    • Taught blind student baking and Knife Skills; subsequently won top award for Knife Skills in competition• Generated highest percentage of students placed in 4-star restaurants in NYC• Revamped entire Pastry curriculum, which was subsequently adopted for use

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  Beach Plum Inn & Savoir Fare

  • Martha's Vineyard, MA

  • Pastry Chef; Pastry Chef Consultant

    • Apr 1990 - Nov 1992
    • Martha's Vineyard, MA

    • An American Table, Tenafly, New Jersey: Earned 3 stars in Bergen Record and Star Ledger newspapers for, “creative and inventive seasonal desserts and ice creams,” 1996-98• Stagiare, Le Cirque, New York, NY, under Jacques Torres, CMPC, 1993• Consultant, Beach Plum Inn & Restaurant, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, 1990-92; Savoir Fare, Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, 1990-91; Baked cakes for James Taylor, Paula Abdul, and Carly Simon. Boston Globe cited cakes as, “to die for” New England Inns cited desserts as, “sinful and sensational.”