BiographyI was born in a rather small suburban Chicago town of Wheaton, Illinois where I grew up with the best family anyone could ask for. Although not every boy would like to grow up with 5 older sisters, I feel it has taught me a myriad of lessons in life. One of the finest lessons taught to me by not only my sisters, but my mother, father and grandmother as well, has been the art of cooking. At a young age, I remember kneading dough on the kitchen counter while my mom and sisters began preparing a big family dinner. From then on, I was obsessed with anything food and, verified by my family, I will now eat almost anything you put in front of me.
As I began to grow older and experience more and more, my father began to implement more influence on the direction of my life, naturally. As a former firefighter for the United States Air Force, he had traveled to countless countries, experienced countless cultures and learned more while traveling than he had learned in any classroom. With that type of past and me being his son, he naturally pushed me to begin traveling as soon as I turned 18 years old.
As the idea of traveling the world had always been a dream, the summer I turned 18 years old I began my journey. First country; Mexico. Although Mexico is not the most exotic country to visit, it was a great start and from then on, I knew I was a traveler. Over the next few years, I traveled to 17 different countries and I learned one of, if not the most important lesson in my life: although you may have cultural differences, believe in a different deity, live on opposite ends of the world, we all speak the same language; food. I truly believe that food is the best way to learn about anyone, any country or any culture, and it is a life lesson I will undoubtedly pass down generations.
As the years went by and my travels increased, my sheer love for food and the urge to cook began taking over my life. At that time, I was around 21 years old and currently enrolled at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee studying Journalism. Although I love to write and enjoy journalism, there was something missing. That is when I made the conscious choice to enroll at The International Culinary School at The Art Institutes and I haven't looked back since. Each day is better than the last, learning is fun, and I am blessed with the natural ability to know how to wield a knife correctly. Beginning my program in early October 2012, I can safely say I am the happiest I have ever been in my life. I look forward to the next chapter. |
As I began to follow in my fathers footsteps and travel the world, my family's cooking history began to come into mind as I tasted various worldly cuisines. The spice from Thailand, the techniques from France, the heartiness from Ireland all began to resonate in me and spark my curiosity. Venturing back home from these trips I would share my experiences with my family and, as Chefs themselves, we would do our best to recreate the dishes I tasted.
From family barbecues to holiday dishes, my sisters and I took our techniques and skill in the kitchen, my creativeness and gumption to learn as much as possible, and cooked bountiful amounts of food for any reason whatsoever. Whether it be fish and chips, sushi, pad thai, swiss chocolate, paella or corned beef, we cooked and made people happy. |