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“Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself.”

-Miles Davis

 

In my earliest days in the kitchen, I dreamed of reaching a point where I could tell a story through food. To make something that not only looked beautiful on a plate but made people think afterwards. Each kitchen I worked in built upon the last. Looking back, I owe it to those chefs that asked the most from their teams. Dedication, work ethic, accountability, drive. A couple core principles I held myself to along the way. It’s been a long period of growth and learning to arrive here. To reach a point where there’s clarity in the creative process. The aim of expressing ideas, minus gimmicks or “noise,” as one chef put it. This evolution has to take place in order to move forward as a chef. The next chapter in my career is one I’m excited to begin. Creating with intention.

 

My journey into fine dining began while climbing the ranks in Southern California kitchens. There are several that stand out in helping form my style of cooking and which acted as a springboard to where I am today. The first was at Chef Roy Yamaguchi’s restaurant, Roy’s, Newport Beach. Under the guidance of chef Edgar Agbayani, this was a deep dive into Hawaiian fusion. Growing up, my family has travelled to Hawaii every summer. I always appreciated the flavors of Hawaiian cooking and beautiful fish courses we would have there. Roy’s was the real introduction to fish cookery, sushi techniques and some other Japanese influences I would expand on down the road. In California we have such a strong connection to the ocean and my time in this kitchen helped inform that even more.

The kitchen which tested me the most was also the one that taught me the most. This was my introduction to working at a Forbes 5 star restaurant. My time under chef Craig Strong at Studio, Montage Hotel, Laguna Beach, formed who I am today. At the time, it was being thrown into the deep end without a raft. But through hard work and perseverance, it gave me the experience that would springboard me into the next 8 years of my career. Studio was a combination of modern French cuisine with influence from Spain, using local California ingredients in their peak of quality and season. The team in that kitchen were all solid practitioners and people I still respect to this day. True professionalism in an environment of 13 hour days with few breaks, that never slowed down.

Once I had proven myself in the kitchen, Craig opened the door further for me to contribute. He brought me along to assist with private dinners in Beverly Hills for Hollywood greats, Food and Wine events for the LA chapter of California Winemasters, No Kid Hungry celebrity charity events, and many more amazing experiences. It was an exciting time to say the least and I was able to meet some fascinating people as a result.

 

The next test would be working for a chef coming off a long stint at The French Laundry. This was an endurance race in high volume production, meets Michelin star kitchen at Madera, Rosewood Sand Hill. Daniel Gomez Sanchez was the chef when I arrived. Drawing influence from Spain, Portugal and Japan, I learned a lot from Daniel during my time here. Advanced techniques in cooking and presentation, speed in production, new flavors, all were a part of the education. We upheld the star for the duration of my stay at Madera which was a point of pride for the team. It was a test for all as staffing levels were low and we were putting in long days but the experience I gained was the reward. Definitely a period of growth in my career.