Born in Los Angeles, Chef Ben Diaz has always been fascinated with cooking. He remembers walking on the beach to dig up clams and enjoying the aromas and sounds at the Long Beach fish market. His father, an accomplished chef, would prepare breakfast while Ben watched carefully. “Seeing the passion my dad had for his craft really inspired me” says …
A native of Tucson, Arizona, Miguel’s first memories were of watching his mother make wedding cakes. He quickly fell in love with cooking and was always be in the kitchen helping his mother prepare the cakes. He also remembers having fun fishing with his father and brother in Mazatlan, Mexico. When he is not in the kitchen, you can find …
Before embarking on a whirlwind culinary journey across the globe, Gary Fowler grew up in the Midwest, learning the rules of the kitchen from his mother. Fowler owned his own catering business, Asa’s Reign, while working as a professor at a local college. After several years of working full-time at the college, Fowler decided to dedicate all his time to …
Before attending culinary school, Chef Vince Terusa was a professional drummer and college percussion teacher. He sees many parallels between making music and leading a cohesive, talented team in a restaurant kitchen. Musical and culinary arts involve creativity, collaboration, “performing” and working with one’s hands to generate a product for an audience’s enjoyment. Terusa, an Orange County native, teaches various …
Having learned a variety of world cuisines under the tutelage of many prestigious chefs, Chef Eddie Moran has brought his culinary talent and expertise to Foundation 10 Creative in Palm Springs. Chef Moran comes from a family of cooks where the kitchen was always crowded. Naturally, he was drawn to cooking at a young age. He watched classic PBS kitchen …
Chef Brandon Testi was classically trained in culinary arts from Riverside Culinary Academy in Riverside, California, and graduated with honors at the top of his class. He has utilized his original, modern style at a variety of restaurants and resorts ranging from Angels Stadium in Anaheim to The Archer Hotel in Austin, Texas. After years of refining his skills and …
Chef Vince Cultraro started his culinary career as a dishwasher at a resort hotel in Marzamemi, Sicily. Born by the sea in Southern Italy, seafood becomes a way of life. There, he used to dive for sea urchins and eat them raw. He would also catch Octopus, a favorite of his, and immediately cook it on the beach over a …
Chef Jason McClain has developed a departure from traditional club fare, with a new take on food and beverage offerings at the Jonathan Club. A 120-year-old private club, Jonathan Club’s members are comprised of community leaders and trailblazers serving as esteemed participants in the cultural life of Los Angeles. Chef Jason received his formal training at the Culinary Institute of …
With over 30 years of culinary and management experience, Chef Thomas Moran brings his unique blend of exciting, balanced cuisine to Justice Urban Tavern at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Chef Thomas attended The Culinary Institute of America in New York before becoming an award-winning chef at restaurants and five-star hotels from Connecticut to California. Chef Thomas’ love …
Born and raised in Santa Ynez Valley, Chef Hector Ibarra’s love for culinary began at an early age. His earliest memories were made in the kitchen with his family, creating different styles of Latin cuisine. As a young boy visiting his relatives in Mexico, Hector would catch fish with his uncle and bring them back for dinner at his grandmother’s …