My Culinary Journey….

My journey began in 1988 in the Hamptons, on Long Island, when a bunch of friends and I rented a house for the summer and I quickly figured out that nobody knew a thing about cooking, except me. By default, I became the house chef. Fast forward a couple of years, and I was cooking for 40 to 50 people every Saturday and Sunday night, not to mention breakfasts. One thing led to another, and one of the folks who was a frequent guest at my dinners, told me her Dad needed cooks at his restaurant, and suggested I go speak to him. As soon as I got my first cooking job at his restaurant, I knew this was what I wanted to do for a career! However, he was a little tight with the money, and after 6 months, when I asked for a raise, he turned me down flat. His reasoning? I had no previous experience, and I had never been to culinary school, so he could not give me anymore. I gave him my resignation. About two weeks later, I was enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America. And so began my official career as a cook/chef.

I graduated from the CIA in January 1995 and went west. To the 5 diamond, 5-star Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. I spent 12 good years there learning my craft and advancing through the ranks. I received an offer to be a sous chef at another hotel, and jumped at the chance. After a couple of years, I was transferred to Atlanta to help run the Atlanta Hilton. I did not know it at the time, but Georgia would become one of 10 states I moved to in my career. I have worked in the deep south, middle America, the west coast, and of course, the east coast, where it all began. I have run Spanish restaurants, the highest rated Mexican Restaurant in North America, Italian places, BBQ places, and quite a few other places. I have worked at 5-star establishments, and I have worked crazy busy bars where we did 1500 a night. I worked at the largest casino on the PLANET, which you will be surprised to learn is located in Thackerville, Oklahoma.

I arrived in New Mexico thinking this would just be the latest stop, but my family and I fell in love with this state, and we are staying. After running the Isleta Casino Resort for 3+ years, I was offered the opportunity to join Santa FE Dining, and work with some great people, rehabbing some of their many fine eating establishments. The menu here at Hidden Mountain reflects my 25+ years of experience and has quite a few of my own personal favorites on it. I do not know what the future holds, but I hope to spend my remaining years working my craft right here in Santa Fe, it is so beautiful here!