I first got my hands “dirty” when I was 9 helping my grandmother make gnocchi’s before Sunday service; I found it soothing.  Before my 13th birthday I was already cooking for friends and family.  By the time I turned 15, I was washing dishes on the weekends and prepping in various restaurants in West Bloomfield, Michigan where I grew up.  Kitchens went from being foreign landscapes of hot ovens and broilers, to my playground; I began to understand them, inside and out.  In 2002 I found myself studying at UMass Amherst, and again, enjoying my “spare” time working at the University Food and Beverage operations.  It was then when I realized that I belonged in kitchens not offices.  Fast forward and I now find myself following my passion in Burlington, Vermont where I will soon lead the culinary team at Waterworks Food+Drink located at the historic Champlain Mill in Winooski.  Prior to this, I held the title of Executive Chef at Urban Tavern/Hilton San Francisco Union Square where I oversaw the development and execution of the restaurant's breakfast, lunch, dinner, room service as well as private dining menus.  To this day, I have no specific interest in food because I am interested in everything; I want to learn it all, or as much as possibly can.  My other interests and hobbies include: landscape photography, wine making and spending countless hours browsing the web and reading various gastronomic sites.