“Seek a chef or mentor who is willing to invest in you, your career, and your future.”
Christopher Reichart
“Try to learn something every day, whether mastering a new skill or refining an existing one.”
Bill Paronish
“Maturing has changed me. Developing my staff and building a team has become a top priority.”
Jesus Olmedo
“I will never ask anyone in my kitchen to do anything I am not capable of or willing to do myself.”
Shawn Olah
“Learn early not to take things personally, especially during peak service times.”
Ryan O’Sullivan
“I’ve missed a lot to follow my dreams, but it wasn’t time wasted. I’m where I’m supposed to be.”
J. Daniel Montano
“Surrounding myself with a trustworthy team is essential, but first this team has to be built.”
Erica Medina
“When your team can see your passion and dedication, you will be amazed at what you can achieve.”
Carlos Matos
“Work hard with heart and passion. Always set a goal to be better than yesterday. Learn from your mentors.”
Jared Masters
“It’s not a requirement to bounce around the country just to put places on your resume.”
Nicholas Marchesano
“Passing knowledge through the mentor/mentee relationship is easily the greatest culinary institution.”
Jeremy Leinen
“Changing my mindset has made me focus on the trends and not get too high or low over any one moment.”
Carlos Lechuga
“Learning how to deal with immense pressure early in my career has has helped me throughout.”
Tony Le
“I believe that no one of us is as good as all of us. This allows me to be more informed and inclusive.”
Geoffrey Lanez
“Rather than giving up when I face a challenge, I try to extract lessons from the obstacles.”