Academics

Ashlea Tobeck

• Spent time working in special education and running a small specialty cake shop in central Illinois
• Graduated from Culinary School of the Rockies in Pastry Arts
• Worked in various kitchens throughout Boulder county including a stint as the Executive Chef at Pizzeria Da Lupo and the Executive Pastry Chef at SALT the Bistro and Colterra Food and Wine
• Worked as both an Executive Chef and Executive Pastry Chef before coming back to teach at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts

Chef Michael Scott

• After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 1986, he began his culinary endeavors with the infamous “Mango Gang” in South Florida where he honed his skills in the top restaurants and hotels from Ft. Lauderdale to the Florida Keys
• Began teaching in 2007 at Culinary School of the Rockies and was an integral part of its transition into Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts

Chef Jesper Jonsson

• 1986 graduate from the Culinary School of Menton, France; 1987 graduate from the Culinary School Auguste Escoffier, France
• Worked in a variety of establishments including catering, private clubs, hotels, and embassies in Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, and the United States
• Worked at Hotel de Paris Monaco; The Yacht Club Monaco; The Martinez Hotel Cannes; Palais des Festival Cannes; Danish Foreign Ministry, and the Warwick Denver Hotel, to name a few
• Disciples d’Escoffier 2014
• Radio personality on 630 K-HOW on The Modern Eater show

Chef John Percarpio

• AOS degree, Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY
• Court of Master Sommeliers, Level 1, Denver, CO
• Certified Executive Chef, American Culinary Federation
• Executive Chef, The Ranch Country Club, Westminster, CO; Chef de Partie, Chef de Cuisine, Lenbach GmbH, Munich, Germany; Chef de Cuisine, Sous Chef and Saucier, Hemingway’s Restaurant, Killington, VT; Grillardin, Saucier, Butcher, The Little Nell Hotel, Aspen, CO

Chef Jonathan Knight

• Started cooking at the age of 14 in Atlanta, GA
• Graduated from Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts
• Cicerone Level 1
• Pastry Chef at Panzano Bakery

Chef Carlos Ruiz

• Born and raised in Lima, Peru, where he developed a flair for Latin American cuisine
• Graduate of Johnson & Wales University
• Hotel Chef at prestigious properties including Four Seasons Palm Beach, Four Seasons Austin, Ritz Carlton, and Hotel Sofitel in Miami
• Executive Chef of the historic Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO

Chef Bob Scherner

• 35 year veteran of the hospitality industry and has been a Chef Instructor at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts for 5 years
• Nominated for James Beard Best Chef, Southwest, 1996 and 2002
• Invited to James Beard House for “Rising Star Chef Series”, New York 2002
• Featured in Wine Spectator, Gourmet Magazine, Food and Wine, USA Today
• Top ten restaurants in USA 2002 by John Mariani, Esquire Magazine (former food critic for NY Times)
• Worked for Flagstaff House in Boulder, CO; Charlie Trotters in Chicago, IL; 221 South Oak Bistro and Allred’s Restaurant in Telluride, CO

Chef Dan Widmann

• Has been a Pastry Chef for 25 years (started as a child prodigy at the age of 10)
• Worked in primarily four star luxury resorts all over the country. Worked for the Park Hyatt, Intercontinental, Westin and Ritz Carlton hotel companies
• Teaching professionally for 12 years
• Featured and recognized in numerous national newspapers and magazines
• Slightly obsessed with chocolate

Chef Rebecca Stein

• Began her career as a CEO in the medical field
• Followed her true passion in the pastry arts and attended the pastry program at Le Cordon Bleu Las Vegas
• Worked in 4 Star and Michelin Star restaurants like Chef Bradley Ogden, Ogden’s at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, NV, and Chef Jullian Serrano, Picasso’s at The Bellagio Las Vegas, NV
• Moved back to Colorado and continues her career by imparting her wisdom and talents to our students

Chef Michael Miller

• Been working in the industry for just about 20 years
• Became interested in cooking at home in the kitchen with his mom and grandma. His first restaurant job was in a pizza shop spinning and pounding dough
• Earned a BBA in Restaurant Management from SUNY Delhi in 2007
• After graduation was the Foodservice Director at Parkwood Heights Senior Living
• Since then managed many kitchens including The Cooperstown All Star Village, residential dining halls at SUNY Delhi and multiple cafés at Hartwick College in upstate NY

Chef Steven Nalls

• Began in the industry at 15 years old washing dishes and busing tables
• Graduated with honors and perfect attendance from the California School of Culinary Arts Pasadena (Le Cordon Bleu)
• During school was honored to do events at Spago Catering in Hollywood that included the Oscars
• Worked in a variety of establishments including catering, country clubs, fine dining, and resorts in Texas, California, Hawaii, and Colorado
• Won an ACF-certified culinary competition for NACUFS Central Region and placed 2nd in the national competition

Chef Chris Scalia

• Originally from New Jersey, has lived in Colorado for the past 16 years
• Graduated from PPCC in Colorado Springs, CO with an AAS degree in Culinary Arts
• Industry experience includes 5 years at The Broadmoor Hotel in various positions in Le Taverne and Sous Chef at the Golf Club
• Has worked for Morrison Management Specialists as Sous Chef for 4 plus years before taking the Executive Sous Chef position at Bent Fork the Grill in Loveland, CO

Robyn McArthur

• Over 25 years in the culinary industry
• BA, University of Arkansas—Little Rock, AR; AOS Culinary Arts, Johnson & Wales University; Pâtisserie Certification, École Lenôtre—Plaisir, France
• Owner & Executive Chef, Caraway Café & Catering; Caterer, Food Network, QVC, Ralph Lauren, Better Homes and Gardens, Southern Living and Today Show; Chef de Cuisine, City Grill; Chef de Tournade, Charleston Grill; Lead Line Cook, Spaulé; Owner Operator, Java Junction Food Truck
• Member of Slow Food, Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, Heifer International – Donor, and FCCLA
• Featured in Savannah Magazine, Best of Savannah and Featured Wedding Caterer; Savannah Morning News, Best New Restaurant; Delta Sky Magazine, Featured Chef and Restaurant
• Inducted into Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014
• Favorite dish is Gumbo

Chef Gary Ackerman

• Education: Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD; Black Hills State University, Spearfish, SD; Austin Community College, Austin, TX; Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
• Professional Background: Chef Instructor, Le Cordon, Bleu – Austin,TX; Dining Services Director, Silverado Senior Care – Austin, TX; Chef and Owner, Gary-O’s Café – Bulverde, TX; Executive Chef, Emily Morgan Hotel at Alamo Plaza – San Antonio, TX; Chef, Cappy’s on 410 – San Antonio, TX; Executive Sous Chef, La Provence French Restaurant – San Antonio, TX; Sous Chef, Plaza Club – San Antonio, TX; Banquet Chef, La Mansion Del Rio – San Antonio, TX; Pasta Cook, Naples Italian Restaurant – San Antonio, TX; Chef / Kitchen Manager, Northern Hills Convention and Resort Center – Spearfish, SD
• Certifications and Memberships: Foodservice Management Professional, National Restaurant Association, Certified Executive Chef, American Culinary Federation, American Culinary Federation
• Awards: Student’s Choice Award, Le Cordon Bleu Austin, President’s Award, Le Cordon Bleu Austin, Exemplary Attitude Award, Le Cordon Bleu Austin, Educator of the Year Nominee, Career Education Corporation
• Favorite Dish: Poulet Chasseur with Pappardelle

Chef Tammie Barnhill

• Over 25 years in the culinary industry
• Executive Pastry Chef/Owner, Cake Artistry; Pastry Chef/Pantry Chef, Jaspers, Austin, TX; Main Cook, Telstar, Flomation, AL
• Professional Culinary Arts Diploma, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, Austin, TX; numerous certificates from International Sugar Arts, Gumpaste, Fondant, and Icing Technique
• Valedictorian & Student Ambassador, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts; Recognized For Contributions: Meals On Wheels, March of Dimes, Communities in School, Midland, TX; Listed in Who’s Who; Featured in Midland Reporter Telegram
• Member of American Culinary Federation, International Cake Exploration Societé, Capital Confectioners Club Association and Slow Food Austin
• Favorite dish is French Fries

Chef Pavla Van Bibber

• Professional Background: Sous Chef & Pastry Chef, Longhorn Village, Austin, TX; Pastry Chef, Westwood Country Club, Austin, TX; Pastry Chef, Lakeway Inn & Conference Center, Austin, TX; Pastry Chef, Aramark at University of Texas, Austin, TX; Owner, Torts & Flours, Georgetown, TX; Pastry Chef, Dolazal Bakery, Zlin, Czech Republic; Owner, Pavla’s Catering, Austin, TX; Over 21 years in the culinary industry
• Awards: Unsung Hero Award; 19 various statewide pastry competition awards & medals; Employee of the Month and Employee of the Year, Westwood Country Club
• Member: American Culinary Federation
• Favorite Dish: Poppy Seed Kolaches

Chef Eric M. Black

• Education: AOS in Culinary Arts, Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY
• Professional Background: Corporate Chef, Cry-A Food & Wine Bar, Dallas, TX; Sous Chef, Craft Restaurant, Dallas, TX; Chef, The Oakroom at the Seelbach Hotel, Louisville, KY;
• Over 25 years in the culinary industry
• Favorite dish: Mama Black’s Fried Chicken

Chef Clifton Dickerson

• Education: AOS Culinary Arts, The Culinary Institute of America; Secondary Teaching Certification, Texas State University
• Professional Background: Chef Instructor, Le Cordon Bleu — Austin, TX; Culinary Arts Instructor, Del-Valle Independent School District — Austin, TX; Executive Chef, Sodexho / Marriott — Austin, TX; Banquet Sous Chef, Omni Hotel — Austin, TX; Head Banquets Chef, Headliners Club — Austin, TX; etc.
• Awards: Certified Executive Chef, American Culinary Federation
• Member: American Culinary Federation
• Favorite Dish: A Great Quality Steak

Chef Pablo Guerrero

• Education: BS Hotel Administration, Escuela Mexicana De Turismo, Mexico City, Mexico; Culinary Arts, Escuela Superior De Hosterleria Y Turismo, Madrid, Spain
• Professional Background: Owner and Executive Chef, Mediterranean Restaurant; Executive Chef, American Medical International; Executive Chef, Country Club with over 2000 members
• Member: American Culinary Federation, Disciples d’Escoffier, Chaine De Rotisseurs, Ecuador Chef Association, Culinary Academy of the Americas, and WACS Pan-American Forum of Professional Culinary Associations
• Favorite Dish: Everything with Seafood!

Chef John Hummel

• Education: BS in Management & Human Relations, Mid America Nazarene University, Olathe, KS
• Professional Background: Owner, Culinary Expressions Catering, Kansas City, MO; Executive Chef, Bayview Plaza Hotel, Santa Monica, CA; Executive Chef, The Embassy on the Park Hotel; The University Club and Nabil’s Continental in Kansas City, MO; Executive Chef, Milburn Country Club, Mission, KS; Executive Chef, The Brass Heron At Wexford Place, Parkville, MO
• Awards: 2006 Top Ten Finalist of 500 Teams, American Royal BBQ Contest; Recipes Featured in Bon Appetit Magazine
• Favorite Dish: Italian sausage and onion wood-fired pizza with a cold IPA

Chef Miguel Olmedo

• Education: AOS Culinary Arts, The Culinary Institute of America; Culinary Arts Certificate, Long Beach City College
• Professional Background: Executive Chef, Lakeway Resort and Spa – Austin, TX; Executive Chef, Provident Crossings – Round Rock, TX; Executive Chef, Midwest Regional Hospital/Morrison Healthcare – Oklahoma City, OK; Executive Chef, Langston University/Sodexo – Langston OK;  Over 32 years in the industry
• Awards: Several accolades from the ACF in Sacramento and Palm Springs, CA; Featured in 2003 Better Homes and Gardens “Top Ten Best BBQ Recipes” Ranking; 2002 Best New Concept Appetizer in the Austin Monthly Magazine
• Member: ACF and Texas Capital Chef’s Association
• Favorite Dish: Sushi

Chef Will Packwood

• Education:  Associates in Occupational Studies, The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY
• Professional Background: Executive Chef, Emilia’s Restaurant – Austin, TX; Executive Chef Vallentino’s – Portogruaro, Veneto; Owner, 7 – Austin, TX; Owner, CIBO – Austin, TX; Owner, La Tavola – Austin, TX
• Member: Slow Food
• Awards: Best New Chef 2001, Food and Wine Magazine; 5 star ratings from Dale Rice and Austin American Statesman; won Best Wine List, Food and Wine Magazine; 2005 Top Ten Restaurants in Texas, Texas Monthly; Recognized for excellence by Wine Spectator, Southern Living, Texas Monthly, D Magazine, Austin Chronicle, and Austin Monthly
• Favorite Dish: Sarde in Saor

Chef Jackie Parchman

• Education: AAS in Food & Beverage Management, Le Chef College
• Professional Background: Assistant Pastry Chef, Shoreline Grill, Austin, TX; Assistant Pastry Chef, Lakeway Inn Resort & Conference Center, Austin, TX; Pastry & Baking Instructor, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Austin, TX; Over 18 years in the culinary industry
• Awards: Silver Medal, ACF Salon June 2009 & September 2010; Bronze Medal, ACF Salon October 2007
• Member: American Culinary Federation
• Favorite Dish: Crawfish Étoufée

Chef Uyen Pham

• Education: AOS, Valedictorian, Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY; BS & Summa Cum Laude, University of Houston, Houston, TX; M.ED & Summa Cum Laude, University of Houston, Houston, TX
• Professional Background: Executive Chef/Owner, Dumpling Dojo, Seattle, WA; Culinary Instructor, Cook’s World, Seattle, WA; Chef Instructor, Farestart, Seattle, WA; Personal & Private Chef, New York, NY and Seattle, WA; Baker, Fay Da Bakery, New York, NY; Pastry Chef, Viet Café, New York, NY; etc.
• Awards: Culinary Achievement Award and Academic Achievement Award, Culinary Institute of America. Featured in The Daily Candy, The Seattle Met, The Seattle Times, Seattle Weekly Voracious, and The New York Press
• Favorite Dish: Mom’s Egg Rolls and Pho or Dad’s Roasted Chicken

Chef Stephen J. Rafferty

• Education: AOS in Culinary Arts, The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY
• Professional Background: Owner/Catering Chef, Yellow Submarine Foods, Austin, TX; Executive Chef, The Oasis Restaurant, Austin, TX; Chef, The Beverly Pavilion Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA; R&D Chef, Sun Mountain Foods, Manor, TX; Over 39 years in the culinary industry
• Awards: Certified Executive Chef, ACF; Level I Sommelier, International Wine Guild
• Member: American Culinary Federation and Slow Food
• Favorite Dish: Crawfish Etouffée and Dirty Rice

Chef Gregory Riter

• Education: AOS Culinary Arts, California Culinary Academy; BA English Literature, UT Austin; MBA Sustainable Business, Colorado Technical University
• Professional Background: Chef Instructor, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts – Austin, TX; Line Cook, Sienna Restaurant – Austin, TX; Kitchen Manager, Hayes St Grille – San Francisco, CA; Chef de Tournant, Postrio – San Francisco, CA; Over 20 years in the industry
• Member: American Culinary Federation; Sustainable Food Center Board of Directors
• Favorite Dish: Roasted Chicken

Graham Mitchell CEC

• Chef Graham Mitchell was raised in a small farm town in Mississippi by his grandparents who taught him how to love cooking at an early age. After attending the University of Mississippi, Graham followed his heart to Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, SC, graduating with a degree in Culinary Arts/Summa Cum Laude in 1996. While in culinary school, Chef Graham worked in the test kitchen of Master Chef and James Beard Award Winner, Chef Louis Osteen, author of Louis’ Charleston Cuisine.
• Moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where he served as Chef de Partie at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. He spent time in both AAA 5 Diamond and Mobil 4 Star Marquesa featuring Catalan cuisine as well as AAA 4 Diamond and Mobil 4 Star La Hacienda featuring foods of Oaxaca. In 2000, Chef Graham ascended to the Sous Chef position at Medizona in Scottsdale, which was named one of the top 22 new restaurants in the country by John Mariani in Esquire magazine.
• Worked for Food and Wine Top Chef James McDevitt at Restaurant Hapa, ultimately working his way up to Executive Chef. As Executive Chef, Chef Graham opened McDevitt’s venture, Soma, in Scottsdale and then accompanied McDevit to open Restaurant Budo in Napa, California, as Executive Sous Chef.
• Began his career in education at The Texas Culinary Academy in 2005, where he taught culinary technique classes and managed the student-run capstone course Bleu River Grille and Ventana Restaurant. In 2011, Graham made the decision to return to his calling as a Chef at the Blue Star Cafeteria in Austin, TX. During his tenure there, he oversaw all operations of the restaurant; both front and back of the House.
• Since 2012, Chef Graham has been an integral part of the operations of the Boulder Campus of Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts as Executive Chef and Lead Academic Officer.

Chef Chanel Martinez

• Chef Chanel grew up in a mixed Mexican-Romanian household and inherited a love of cooking from her mother and grandmother, who made dinner from scratch every night. After graduating from high school, she was torn between becoming a teacher or entering the culinary world. She decided on culinary, and graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in 2004 with an Associate’s Degree in Occupational Studies. Working at various hotels and restaurants, she combined the training she had gained from her studies with the philosophy of home-style comfort food she had learned growing up. Her focus was in culinary, but her sweet tooth constantly pulled her towards baking, and she found ways to incorporate both into her work.
• A year later, Chef Chanel started a catering company, White Apron Catering, where she worked closely with doctors to develop specialized menu options with patients who had compromised diets. Her passion for teaching never faded, however, and in 2006 she joined the staff of the Kitchen Academy in Hollywood as a Chef Instructor. From there, she continued teaching with Le Cordon Bleu, as Lead Chef Instructor of the Baking and Pastry program, for which she received the L’Esprit de Excellence Award in 2009 and Educator of the Year nominations in 2013 and 2014. She became a certified pastry chef (CWPC) through the American Culinary Federation in 2013. In 2016, she left her position at Le Cordon Bleu to get involved in online education, joining the staff of the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.
• Chef Chanel believes in fostering active discussion and participation among students. Each student has their own path through the culinary world, and the classroom is the crossroads where each path meets the others, making culinary school the ideal time for students to learn from each other’s experiences. Everyone has something to contribute.
• Chef Chanel lives in Burbank, California, with her husband Jim and her son Fenway.

Chef Luke Shaffer

• Chef Luke Shaffer is proud to be joining Escoffier Online International Culinary Academy as a Chef Instructor. Born and raised in Texas, Chef Luke grew up learning southern-style cooking from his grandmother. On his twenty-second birthday, his friends bought him a grill, and he started hosting weekly dinners out of his apartment in college. From there, he decided to take his love of cooking and make it a career.
• Chef Luke has worked at everything from cafes to high-end sushi restaurants, including renowned Austin sushi restaurant Uchi, as everything from a dishwasher to an executive chef. As a chef, he discovered his passion for teaching and inspiring others, which led him into the world of culinary education. Despite his far-flung culinary pursuits, his love for Southern home cooking remains as strong as ever, and he cooks out of his custom-made barbecue trailer whenever he goes tailgating.
• As a Chef Instructor, Luke believes that education should be a journey of discovery for both teacher and student—a conversation between peers in which participants learn as much as they can from each other. He sees online culinary education as a way to bring together diverse learners from all across the globe, each bringing their own unique perspective to the table.

Chef Susie Wolak

Before coming to the school, Susie Wolak worked her whole career in the industry as a Pastry Chef. Starting with Hilton Hotels then going to work for Clubs Corporation of America at their Flag Ship Property, The Metropolitan Club in Chicago and then going back to work for Chicago Hilton.

Chef Sofia Kosturakis Forde

Sofia Kosturakis Forde was born in El Paso, Texas, and lived in Chihuahua, Mexico. Sharing quality family time over a delicious meal was a common occurrence in the Kosturakis home. The international cuisine they enjoyed was influenced by her Spanish mother and Greek/Mexican father.

Following her father’s footsteps, Chef Forde attended medical school at the University of Texas at El Paso where she soon realized cooking made her truly happy. Motivated to pursue her passion, she moved to Austin, Texas, to attend Le Cordon Bleu where she met her husband, also a passionate culinary arts student. Completing an externship with a James Beard Award winner and celebrity chef John Besh at Luke in New Orleans, Louisiana, provided valuable experience working in a fast-paced, first-rate culinary environment under the supervisor of an award winning chef.

After a successful externship in New Orleans, Chef Forde graduated from Le Cordon Blue with honors and relocated to San Antonio, Texas, where she was privileged to work for James Beard Award Nominee Chef Andrew Weisman and for Central Market by H.E.B. where she learned another side of the culinary industry: the mass production for a specialty grocery store.

A move to the Mississippi Gulf Coast brought Chef Forde and her husband closer to her husband’s family and to an area rich in culinary career opportunities. She first worked as an executive chef for a local restaurant where she oversaw all front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house restaurant operations.

For the past two years, she has been teaching International cuisine in the culinary program at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Coupled with her international heritage and travel throughout the world with her passion for culinary, she accepted this new assignment with the same energy she did her work as an executive chef. She has been teaching two years in the community college and is currently teaching at the Escoffier Online International Culinary Academy. Chef Forde is confident that teaching is a perfect fit for her and enjoys engaging students mastering the skills and knowledge needed to become chefs.

Chef Ryan Hodros

Ryan Hodros grew up in a small community in rural Ohio in a home alongside an enormous cornfield. There, he learned a love of cooking from his mother on rainy Midwestern evenings and snowy winter holidays, spending many days learning family recipes and experimenting to create new ones.

After graduating from Baldwin-Wallace College with degrees in English and Religion and gaining four years of experience in publishing, Ryan joined the Navy as a Cryptologic Technician Interpretive. After gaining fluency in Mandarin Chinese at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, Ryan spent four years working for the NSA and Department of Defense as a translator, editor, and quality assurance manager.

After separation, Ryan attended the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder, graduating from both the culinary and baking programs. Since then, he’s worked as a food and beverage critic, publishing articles in a variety of online and print publications, including 5280 Magazine, 303 Magazine, and Food & Beverage Magazine. He’s also worked as a server, an instructor, and high school cooking demonstrator.

Chef Cesar Herrera

Cesar Herrera has been a chef for 20 years, running food operations with different types of cuisines. He was introduced into the restaurant industry at a very young age. He began helping out at his dad’s friend’s restaurant, by the time he was in High School, he was a line cook at “1776 Restaurant” in Crystal Lake, IL, cooking fine dining American Cuisine. After a few years Herrera became the Sous Chef at “Pub on the Square,” another fine dining restaurant located in Woodstock, IL. After gaining great knowledge, he opened “Genovese’s Café,” an Italian cuisine restaurant, as the Executive Chef in Crystal Lake IL. His next project would be the Executive Chef at “Docks Bar & Grill,” located on Bangs Lake in Wauconda, IL. His latest venture would be the opening of a Irish Gastro Pub, “Middleton’s On Main” in Wauconda, IL, which in its first year was recognized as “Best New Restaurant in the Chicago land for 2012” and “Best Restaurant in Lake County” by the Daily Herald. After 25 years of experience as a chef, he would like to help other students achieve their goals through the Escoffier Online Culinary Program.

Chef Janet Rörschåch

• Since she was young, Chef Janet Rorschach wanted to travel the world and experience the cuisines of different cultures. She studied theater at Mount Holyoke College, but decided after graduating to move to Europe and enter the restaurant industry.
• From 1987 to 2006, Chef Janet worked at a variety of restaurants across the United States and Europe, most notably Clarke’s Restaurant in London, where she developed an appreciation for farm-to-table cooking. She wanted to give back more to the community than a restaurant chef can offer, so in 2006 she started teaching culinary classes.

Chef Tom Beckman

• • Chef Tom Beckman learned cooking from his mother but pursued a career in the airline industry for nine years before deciding to go to culinary school at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago. It was there that he found his passion for baking.

• He worked at several hotels in Chicago, most notably the Ritz-Carlton and the Mayfair Regent. He was the executive pastry chef at Tra Via, an Italian restaurant, under David Wennerlyn and worked as a private chef in the Lincoln Park neighborhood before finding his calling in pastry arts education 20 years ago.

Chef Anne Lanute

• Chef Anne began working in the restaurant industry 20 years ago while finishing Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Writing and later earning her Master’s before enrolling in pastry arts school.
• While in pastry school, Chef Anne sought out Atlanta’s top pastry chefs and worked with Christian Balbierer at Chocolate Pink, Jonathan Saint-Hilaire at Trois, and Mihoko Obunai at the highly-rated Japanese-French fusion bakery, Joli Kobe.
• Her efforts caught the attention of Kevin Rathbun, who brought her aboard as part of Pastry Chef Kirk Park’s team. She designed breads and desserts for the highly-acclaimed Rathbun’s, Krog Bar, and Kevin Rathbun Steak. She later moved to Virginia to take a position as Chocolatier, working alongside Tim Gearhart at Gearharts Fine Chocolates in Charlottesville before settling back in the Chicago area as a pastry chef at Bistro One West and DeEtta’s Bakery.

Chef Tyson Holzheimer

• A native of Montana, Chef Tyson Holzheimer developed an understanding and love of food while learning to hunt, fish, and cook with his family.
• He spent the first few years of college in Alaska, where he first experienced working in professional kitchens and bakeries.
• Continuing his culinary career in fine dining at a resort near Big Sky, Montana, Chef Holzheimer was soon offered his first head chef position at a Spanish-influenced restaurant in Bozeman.
• He worked with a growing breakfast chain in Denver, CO to open eight restaurants including menu development, standardizing sanitation programs, and training kitchen employees.
• He is a partner in a small butcher shop and restaurant, working with local animals, making his own charcuterie and sausage, and training staff to manage all aspects of the restaurant.

Chef Christopher Diehl

Chef Christopher Diehl graduated from Johnson & Wales University in 2000 with a degree in culinary arts. After completing his education, he moved to Seattle and worked at the Rainier Club for three years, eventually earning the title of lead a la carte cook. He then traveled back to his native South Carolina to help with his family-owned restaurant in Columbia. After a brief stay there, he spent the next number of years traveling and exploring more culinary styles at Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys, the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, eventually leading him back home to South Carolina. Throughout his career, Chef Diehl has assumed all titles of the kitchen brigade system, including the role of Executive Chef for private clubs, restaurants, and healthcare services. He currently resides in Columbia, South Carolina.

Chef Paul Rocque

Prior to his current position as chef educator at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, Paul Rocque held a number of prestigious positions throughout his 20+ year career including: pastry chef instructor with Le Cordon Bleu Pasadena and Hollywood locations, executive pastry chef at the Santa Anita Racetrack, pastry cook at the Peninsula in Beverly Hills, head cake decorator for Universal Studios and many more.

­­Additionally, Chef Rocque co-authored the cookbook “So Sweet!: Cookies, Cupcakes, Whoopie Pies, and More” published by Andrews McMeel. Chef Rocque received his Associate Degree in Culinary Arts from The New England Culinary Institute, his Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Management from Le Cordon Bleu – Scottsdale and is a current member of the ACF and the Bread Bakers Guild of America.

Chef Eric Preuss

Eric Preuss began his career in the culinary arts while studying graphic design and illustration at the Center for Creative in Detroit, Michigan. First starting as a busser, he quickly worked his way up to a back of the house position. He spent the next three years working in various kitchen stations for Jamaica Joes before becoming a kitchen manager, a position he held for many years.

After a move to Denver, Colorado, Eric continued working in kitchens of various industry settings before pursuing an education at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. Since obtaining his Certificate in Escoffier Online Culinary Arts Fundamentals, he has worked as a catering chef for corporations like Sodexo and Bon Appetit, as an Executive Sous Chef for Three Leaf Concepts at the Huckleberry and is currently a chef educator with Escoffier Schools’ online program.