My life began on a dairy farm in Wisconsin with my parent’s vision of a wholesome family and farm. Daily chores were a task for us all; as we overcame, and then succumb to inevitability of single family farm life in the U.S. and this was only the beginning.

Always working in restaurants, culinary school was to be expected and I continued my education in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. With that came an internship in Indiana which resulted in a degree from Purdue University in Restaurant Management.

With both degrees and continued success in my industry, I was looking to excel. I found a restaurant in Lake Geneva that had just what I needed. Challenge, surrounded by great farms with a bounty of ingredients, just waiting to be utilized. It was a four year stint as Executive Chef of the Grand View Restaurant. I enjoyed every minute finding my passion for local food.

During this time, I met my wonderful wife Tiffinni. We moved to Woodstock, IL. After working and developing my passion for food, I found myself as Executive Chef and General Manager of the Woodstock Country Club. After successfully wooing the clientele for three years, Loyola University had my ear.

Loyola Chicago purchased a 100-acre property in Northern, Illinois. Coming on board meant much more than just catering to students in a cafeteria style atmosphere. The goal was to produce a sustainable property which meant I needed a garden to supply our needs. Together, we focused on the importance of food, what it means and most importantly where it comes from. We designed and laid the ground work for a five-acre organic garden that supplies the goods for the facility through seasonal produce and preservation. With the build out of a processing kitchen, we were able to be a model of sustainability in our community for all to see. In addition to the gardens, our kitchen acts as a demonstrational kitchen and culinary learning center. The bounty at my fingertips to create incredible experiences.