A native to Spokane, Washington, Chef White's love for cooking came at an early age and developed through helping his Grandmother in the kitchen and garden, preparing family meals with fresh fruit and produce. He enlisted in the United States Navy after September 11th and decided to become a Mess Specialist thinking that between the cooking and Navy Hotel Management aspects of the job, he would move into Hotel Management. Chef White was fooled however, and after a couple of years of sea duty traveling all over the world tasting cuisine at every foreign port, and serving over 5,000 sailors three times a day he earned the position of Captain's Cook. His desire to pursue his love of cooking was cemented. After his stint in the Navy, Chef White began working at the Hotel Del Coronado under truly spectacular chefs such as Jason Shaeffer, Greg Ische, and Maurieco Enriquez. He served as Chef de Partie in Banquets and Garde Manager supervising the award winning Sunday brunch in the Crowne Room, The Sheerwater Restaurant, Prince of Whales, 1500 Ocean Restaurant and the Babcock and Story Sushi Bar. In 2007, at the young age of 24, Chef White moved to the Doubletree Golf Resort San Diego as Sous Chef and assumed the position of Executive Chef after just 10 short months. In recent months he has open his heart and realized the growing number of staving children in his own back yard, and helped create Hunger at home. Chef White is of an artistic bent and likes to let his creativity run wild so you never know what's next. His all time favorite? "Mexican food. So many regions, such complex yet earthy tastes, a country where every region presents similar components in such a vastly different fashion."
Chef Larry, a Certified Executive Chef brings more than 30 years experience as chef, culinary educator, television personality, consultant and restaurateur to the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines Hotel and Golf Resort. A familiar face to television viewers, he appears on ABC / KGTV Channels 10 and 15 and hosts and produces his daily cooking show "The County Cooks with Chef Larry" on cable television. He has appeared nationally on VH1's "The Fabulous Life..." The Food Network's "Roker on The Road" and on "Barbecue America" for KPBS. A true "culinary ambassador", Chef Larry is heard around the world on his popular radio program, "The Chef Larry Show" on World Talk Radio and he writes a food column for the Asian Reader. Internationally recognized for his culinary accomplishments, Chef Larry was a member of the 1988, 1992 and 1996 U.S.A. Culinary Teams, winning three gold medals and a special "cloverleaf" award at the world's most prestigious cooking competition, the "Culinary Olympics". Chef Larry has served as Executive Chef / Food and Beverage Director for many destination hotels and was named "Chef of the Year" by the American Culinary Federation Orange Empire Chef Association. He has cooked for numerous celebrities and dignitaries including superstar Michael Jackson, The Sultan of Brunei, entertainers Brian McKnight and Lea Salonga and Philippine Presidents Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Joseph Estrada. In demand as a speaker and consultant, Chef Larry has worked with many national restaurant chains and foodservice companies. His published work includes "New Currents in American Cuisine: Cooking with Team USA", "Kochkunst in Bildern III & IV" and "The New American Barbecue" video / recipe book with Emeril Lagasse and Bobby Flay. As guest celebrity chef of the five star Shangri-La Hotels, Asia's premier luxury resort chain, Banares showcases his signature cuisine at flagship hotels in Manila, Hong Kong and throughout Asia. He regularly appears on ABS-CBN the Filipino Channel.
A native of Saigon, Vietnam, Chef Noni started her pastry career in Long Beach, California working in retail, where she learned the importance of presentation of cakes and pastries displayed in bakery showcases. Seeking experience in volume pastry production, Chef Van worked for the Sheraton Harbor Island Hotel in the Pastry department preparing specialty cakes, banquet desserts, wedding cakes and a la carte restaurant desserts. In 1992 Chef Noni accepted the position of assistant Pastry Chef at the Hilton Torrey Pines (formerly the Sheraton Torrey Pines) in charge of production and decorating for the upscale property. Chef Noni now holds the position of Pastry Chef overseeing the entire production for banquets and restaurants. It is here that Chef Noni creates a variety of logo and specialty desserts for demanding corporate clients and VIPs. In June of 2008, Chef Noni's skills were put on display during the 2008 U.S. Open one of golf's most high profile and well-attended events. Putting her confectionary skills to the test, she has participated in the Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County's Gingerbread City recreating gingerbread replicas of the world's most famous structures. In 2007, Chef Van won the corporate-wide Hilton TV Food Network special amenity competition with her creative use of chocolate. Chef Noni has conducted cooking classes and "Iron Chef" style cake decorating competitions / team-building events for corporate clients.
Patrick Dahms, Certified Executive Chef, began his career in cuisine nearly 22 years ago. His love affair with food and the hospitality industry began in his mother's kitchen and he remembers vividly the summer vacations at his uncle's restaurant in France where he observed his aunt making fresh pizza Marseille-style and the smell of authentic "choucroute" as well as slurping his first oyster in the oyster beds of Belon, Bretagne. Chef Dahms was born in Luebeck, Germany and attended culinary school in Hamburg, Germany, during his apprenticeship at the world famous "Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten" where he became a certified chef and began his career. Not long after graduating, Chef Dahms began his globetrotting career, accepting a position at the 1700-room Anaheim Hilton and Towers in California. Dahms has garnered several awards for his cooking including four bronze medals at the New Zealand Culinary Arts Festival. He is experienced in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Italian, German, Scandinavian, French, Thai and Japanese cuisines, and has done "large" week-long kosher groups, including kosher off-premise catering for the Wexner foundation. Chef Dahms has worked in luxury properties the world over, including Germany, New Zealand, Bermuda and the United States. Before joining the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, he spent 2 years at the St. Regis Aspen, as well as two years at the Intercontinental New Orleans. Chef Dahms is fluent in German, English and French.
Chef Hermann Schaefer's culinary passion developed as a young boy under the loving totaling of his grandmother. A native of Austria, Chef Schaefer fondly recalls watching his Oma (grandmother) as she regularly cooked Austrian specialties for the family. He nurtured this early gastronomic enthusiasm by preparing Austrian deserts such as Kaiserschmarn, Salzburgernockerl and Palatschinken with his best friend Hannes after school. At the ripe age of 13, he began working at his mother's Tavern, where he preformed a variety of chores and helped with the cooking. After completing high school Chef Schaefer began his formal training with a three year program in hotel and restaurant management. At the end of the program, he served a three year apprenticeship at the Grand Hotel Sauerhof in Baden by Vienna, one of Austria's finest five-star luxury hotels. After graduating in Culinary Arts and Hotel Management he spent the next five years working in three of the most luxurious hotels in Switzerland, serving as Chef de Party, Sous Chef and Chef. In 1994, Chef Schaefer crossed the Atlantic Ocean by moving to the United States, where he got a job at the Anaheim Hilton and Towers. After one year he accepted another job at Bistango Restaurant, where he started as the Executive Sous-Chef. Only two years later he was promoted to Executive Chef. Under the supervision of Chef Schaefer, Bistango Restaurant received seven consecutive gold medal awards, while he simultaneously received six consecutive nominations as one of the Great Chefs of Orange County. In 2001, Chef Schaefer decided to reunite with the Culinary Team of Anaheim Hilton and Towers, where he was offered and accepted a position as Executive Sous-Chef. Anaheim Hilton and Towers is on of the largest luxury Hotels in Southern California with 1600 Rooms and five culinary outlets and a enormous Banquet facility. Chef Schaefer stayed onboard for another two years, before he accepted a position as Executive Chef at the Hilton San Diego Resort. As head of the culinary team of the Hilton San Diego Resort and the Food and Beverage Director Chef Schaefer's creative and unique cuisine. Between working and spending time with his family Chef Schaefer gives cooking classes in his spare time.
Chef Bob Kennedy was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, where as a young boy he was heavily influenced by his mother and grandparents to become a chef. He later decided to attend the Epicurean Cooking School in Los Angeles, where he learned his culinary techniques. Chef Kennedy has worked with many quality establishments including Trumpets in Montclair, NJ as a Line Cook, Tierneys Irish Tavern in Montclair, NJ as a Sous Chef, Obals Inn in Bloomfield, NJ as a Chef, Collins and Barnes in Bloomingfield, NJ as a Banquet Chef, McKinley Village Lodge in Denali Park, AK as a Sous Chef, Chauncey Conference Center in Princeton, NJ as a Sous Chef, and the Sheraton Suites at Symphony Hall in San Diego as a Sous Chef. Chef Bob Kennedy currently lives in Imperial Beach, CA and specializes in Cajun cuisine.
A native to San Diego, Chef Carl Delarosa got into the culinary industry quite by accident. He started by going to welding school, but soon found out the hard way that no jobs were available in this field. To make ends meet he got a job flipping burgers at a place called Buffo's. And the rest is history. Chef Delarosa was taught by his mother as well as by many great chefs who were willing to teach him. He started out by working at many independent restaurants in Dana Point, Laguna, Newport, and Huntington Beach until crossing over to the Marriot for about 10 years in Desert Springs, La Jolla, and Renaissance in Fort Worth, TX. He then joined the Hilton Family. Chef Delarosa does not focus on one type of cuisine, but loves to cook anything that is interesting and full of flavor. He has cooked Cuban, Coastal Mexican, Mediterranean, Italian, American Fare, Fresh California, and "Regional Texas".
Although Chef Gonzales was born in Southern California, she grew up in Mexico right across the border in a small town called Tecate, Baja California. There she was heavily influenced by her family. Her grandmother owned a restaurant and she spent much of her childhood watching her grandma and her parents cook and run a business. Her parents also opened a catering business, where she started to help out. Though she loved cooking, she decided to take her life in a different direction and began law school. After two years, Chef Gonzales realized what her true passion was and left for culinary school. She attended the Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Arizona where she perfected her culinary skills. She started working at Tony's Catering as the Catering Supervisor, next moved to Sapporo Restaurants as the Assistant Executive Chef and finally settled at the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, starting as a Sous Chef and ultimately becoming Executive Chef. Growing up in Mexico, Chef Gonzales has been greatly influenced by Hispanic cuisine. She was trained in traditional French techniques and more recently has become influenced by the new American fusions such as Pacific Rim cuisine.
Growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, Chef Umatum was always in the kitchen with his mother. His first job was a dishwasher/prep cook, after which he never looked back. He has always worked in kitchens that promoted passion and creativity, honored old school traditions and had an amazing sense of camaraderie. He describes his experiences of working in the kitchen as being part of "big, slightly dysfunctional family". Chef Umatum went to culinary school in France at Le Cordon Bleu and did his formal apprenticeship in Paris at one of Chef Guy Suvoy's Bistros. After that he never stopped training. He continues to learn new techniques and pushes himself to set higher standards for his Team. He has now been in the industry for over seventeen years. His most recent accomplishments include being the opening Chef for two new concept restaurants in London. Chef Umatum has also worked at Peppermill Resort Casino in Reno, Westin River North and TRU in Chicago, Guy Suvoy in Paris, a large Chef owned catering company called Catering Creations in Omaha, the European Café in Denver, the Red Lion Hotel, and later joined the Hilton Family. Chef Umatum specialized in French food for many years, but his style has recently changed to more seasonal American continental food. Every area of the country has its own seasonal foods and Chef Umatum likes to take those ingredients and make them into comfort food, you can feel good about eating.
Originally from San Diego, Chef Eric Wilburn has always loved food and the entire experience and excitement of a restaurant. When his wife was accepted into medical school in San Francisco, it was his opportunity to go to school at the California Culinary Academy and learn from some of the top chefs in the city. There he learned exactly what it means to be a chef. After culinary school, Chef Wilburn worked with Bradley Ogden at the Lark Creek Inn in Larkspur. He wanted to get into the hotel industry so he next took at job at the Park Hyatt in San Francisco. He then moved back to San Diego where he worked at the U.S. Grant as a Sous Chef. He moved on to open Harrah's Rincon Casino and Resort as a Sous Chef and after year went back to his roots and took a chef position opening a small American bistro in South Park. After three years though, Chef Wilburn missed the hotel industry and ultimately took the Executive Chef position at the Hilton Harbor Island. Chef Wilburn enjoys cooking all types of cuisine and says that as longs at its fresh and local, he's happy.
Francisco Castañeda began his culinary journey in the rustic and spice filled kitchens of Baja California where his grandmothers and uncles prepared the feasts that celebrated life. He learned how the women around him gently mixed the chilies, herbs and citric juices that became savory salsas. A fiesta was worthy with no less than six types of salsas. From the men, Francisco discovered how a farm animal was butchered and eventually cooked patiently in the underground pits and grills that were fired with mesquite wood from the nearby sierras. At age 17, Francisco traveled north to our Alta California. During the 33 years that followed, he punctuated his culinary career by serving as Executive Chef for important chains such as Holiday Inn, Sheraton, Princess Resorts and the Marriott. He knows the kitchen from the vantage point of all the work he has proudly performed, be it dishwasher, cook, director of food and beverage or executive chef. He has devoted his life to cooking since his childhood. When not orchestrating in the kitchen, Francisco is an avid cyclist and outdoorsman. He has been married for 32 years to his wife, Rosa Garibay. They have three loving children. Today, Francisco prepares your feast at the San Diego Hilton Del Mar. As Executive Chef, he will make sure that everything from your chicken quesadilla to a grilled lobster or Angus beef will be prepared to help celebrate your life.
Chef Jason Lee is the Executive Chef of the Embassy Suites Hotel Downtown San Diego on the Bay, where he oversees three food outlets including a full Sushi and Raw bar. From up State New York, Chef Lee graduated from Mohawk Valley Community College with an Associate in Food Service in December 1996. He then worked at the Wyndham Syracuse in New York as a Sous Chef to the Wyndham Colorado Springs Co. and as the Executive Sous Chef, to Telluride Co. where he task forced for Wyndham. Chef Lee went on to win many awards in cook offs, was a host on a morning radio cooking show and taught cooking classes at the Chef's Catalog Store in Colorado Springs. Chef Lee strongly believes in the freshness of ingredients, which he teaches to his staff.
Chef John Lupoli was born in Brooklyn but mainly grew up in Los Angeles and North County San Diego. Since one of his favorite activities is fishing, he had to learn how to prepare and cook all of the fish and seafood that he caught. Because of this, he has always enjoyed cooking as well as eating seafood. Chef John Lupoli has no formal schooling, but has worked with many renowned chefs that taught him everything he knows. He started as a line cook with Black Angus and, after a year, was promoted to Sous Chef. After another couple of years, he was promoted to head Chef at a new store. Chef Lupoli has also worked at the Miramar Restaurant, a fine dining, seafood establishment. He has done private catering and dining room and catering at the University of San Diego. Chef Lupoli specializes in Italian, American, and Seafood cuisine. He also enjoys Mexican style cooking, especially making his own salsas and sauces. He grows his own peppers (about six to eight different kinds) as well as his own tomatoes among other things. He likes smoking fish and jerky, preparing venison and home-made sausage and canning his own tuna. One of his daughters is a dill pickle fiend, so he also makes his own pickles.
Growing up in New York, Chef Larry DiFolco grew up in a very food focused environment with exposure to the industry via a small family-owned restaurant. He received his training at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY and has his Associates in Culinary Arts and Bachelors in Hospitality Management. He has 15 years of practical experience ranging from fine dining to high volume restaurants, hotels, country club and private catering. Chef DiFolco's career has taken him from cutting edge kitchens in New York City to the Caribbean, Ireland and Russia. He now feels privileged to be settled and working in San Diego as it becomes a major food city. Chef DiFolco's passion lies in Italian cuisine but he has recently begun exploring California cuisine and the amazing bounty of products available in San Diego.
Chef Fuentes was born in Mexico City, a city surrounded by rich culture and culinary delights. His passion for cooking began in his mother's kitchen at an early age and his formal studies began at the University of Mexico. For over 30 years, Chef Leo has been creating beautiful dishes and delicious food in America. With 15 years of professional experience, he has been Executive Chef at the Doubletree Club Hotel in San Diego.
Growing up in a military family, Chef Nicholas Vilamil considers All Over, USA to be his hometown. He was greatly influenced to join the culinary industry by his uncle who was also a chef. He attended the Los Angeles Trade Technical College in the culinary program and continues his education on the job, learning from all of the chefs he worked with. He has worked at Red Lion LAX, Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale, Hilton Long Beach, and ultimately landed at the Hilton San Diego Mission Valley where he currently resides. He likes to call his cuisine a mix of California, West Coast, and Caribbean Fresh.
Growing up in San Diego, Chef Renato traveled the world to acquire his culinary skills. He started his training at the Taihei Overseas Company Ltd. in Japan, receiving hands on training in Japanese cuisine. He continued to perfect his craft in the Philippines and in the Middle East, transferring to the Taihei Overseas Company Ltd. in Saudi Arabia. Chef Renato then returned to his hometown and worked at Advantage Supermarket as a Sous Chef. He followed this with a stint at Sycuan Casino Hotel and Resort and ultimately landed at the Embassy Suites Hotel San Diego where he now resides. He specializes in Japanese and Philippine cuisine.
A native of Mexico City, Mexico, Chef Victor Ploro began his love for cooking as he cooked for his family of nine siblings. He describes Mexico City as being a fascinating city filled with interesting culinary culture and history. He moved to California at eighteen and entered the cooking field working for Hilton Del Mar. He worked there for twelve years, five of which he worked as Sous Chef. Chef Ploro most recently accepted the Executive Chef position at the Hilton Garden Inn in San Diego where he currently resides. He has no formal training but his combined 23 years in the culinary industry give him all the credentials he needs. Chef Ploro specializes in contemporary cooking.
Jose grew up in Compton, CA. When he was 14 years old he went and lived in Mexicali for five years. At the age of 19 he moved back to San Diego and has been here ever since working in the kitchen. With several hotel chains under his belt, Jose came to the Radisson Hotel Harbor View in San Diego where he met the Corporate Executive Chef Clay Bordan, of Clays Restaurant of La Jolla, CA. Clay took Jose under his wing mentoring and training Jose in the Culinary Arts. Jose was so successful; he was promoted by Clay to Executive Chef in 1999 for the Radisson Hotel. In 2008 the Radisson Hotel had an 11million dollar renovation and changed flags to a full service Doubletree Hotel by Hilton, where he is currently the Executive Chef. In addition, Jose worked as a chef at US Grant, Prava Suites and the Radisson Hotel. Working his way up to a Chef with on the job training skills and his love of the culinary arts, Jose has also worked at Embassy Suites, Marriott, Holiday Inn, Sheraton. During 2001 while working at the Sheraton, Jose was honored by being selected to fly down to New Mexico to create and cook a 5 star meal for the Prince of Spain. Chef Yanez specialty is American California Cuisine.
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