Our experienced team of chefs is global and constantly evolving. Our concept comes from a culmination of vast experience that is both passion inspired and passion executed. Our mission is to expose you to many cuisines that have been mastered by chefs in their chosen field of expertise.
 
The Haute Chefs who contribute to our educational process come from diverse and fascinating backgrounds and cultures. Some bring us their highly regarded culinary accolades and advanced education, while others might be self-taught “home-cooks” who have perfected their Grandmothers recipes and beyond.
 
However we discover them, it takes distinctiveness, presence and personality to be a Haute Chef.  Whether you are learning to bake the perfect soufflé, or grill the most memorable steak, you are guaranteed to share a unique experience with extraordinary culinary talent.

Welcome! And, enjoy your own personally guided journey exploring and creating glorious cuisine!

 

Featured Haute Chef, Nancy Lemmel -  Desserts

Nancy is a theatrical and seductive presence, and when she guides you through the instructional process, it is not only entertaining, but calm and inspiring. To experience one of her cookies or cakes is enlightening which is why she is being featured as our sweetest, Haute Chef!

Truly a culinary performer, her passion for visual artistry reinforces the idea that beautiful food starts with using the best ingredients.  For Nancy, the aesthetic presentation of her creations is equally as important as the way it tastes. She designs signature desserts that combine both the perfect flavors and texture.

A first generation American, Nancy was raised in San Francisco by parents of French, Hispanic, Jewish and Russian backgrounds. Many of her influences came from being raised also with friends who were immigrants from Italy, China and Eastern Europe. “Some of them didn’t even speak English when they arrived here”, but they all shared meals together. She was exposed to a lot of homemade ethnic food, all contributing to her unique and diverse style. 

She knew early on that pastry and sweets would be her forte’; her first creation at age 11 was a vanilla cake topped with strawberry jam. A tasty but unattractive compilation, her father reinforced her creativity; “It messes up in your stomach anyway”, she recalls. “He ate it, and welcomed everything else I created after that.  It was very encouraging.”  Still today, when I see someone’s face light up, I know I’ve done my job.  I love it when someone says, “My grandmother’s coconut cake was the best I ever had, until I had yours”….

An internship at the famous La Tourelle in Northern California, followed by numerous culinary positions and select training in the Bay area, have all added to her vast experience. Today she enjoys the freedom of an unfettered environment, and continues to delight her customers as a freelance pastry chef which she has for over a decade. 

 

Featured Haute Chef, Vu Nguyen

After several years studying the fundamentals of traditional sushi and Japanese cuisine, Chef Vu Nguyen realized that his internal creativity had yet to be challenged. Today, his work as a true "Sushi Artist" is both admired and esteemed by many.

Originally from Oregon, Vu began his professional career on the opposite end of "visibility", as a computer-support technician. With a background in Computer Fundamentals, he had yet to realize his true calling, never yet having enjoyed his first sushi dining experience. Raw fish had not been introduced to his eating regime as of yet, and strangely, his "first time" was not even particularly appealing for him. It's a common theme with many chefs that they get thrown into finding their 'true calling' due to another employee's illness at a restaurant. The case was true as well for Vu, while working part time as a bartender at a sushi restaurant, he was pulled from his martini shaker, and handed a sharp knife instead. < /p>

Having never stood behind this kind of "bar" before, it was challenging at first, with difficult and discouraging results. Eventually, Vu's passion evolved, looking at each piece of fish with an imaginative landscape; re-creating common traditional Japanese menus into beautiful fusion delicacies. His eye for detail and expression in his sushi is keen, and his attention to quality and high standards has helped to escalate his career to his current position as a lead sushi chef. With more than 7 years working with reputable eateries like Tuna Town, Kado Teppan Lounge, Mia Sushi and others, Vu has risen into sushi-stardom. Testing his sushi creativity for us at Haute Chefs, look for Vu to offer innovative and delicious Asian inspired cuisine.

 

Featured Haute Chef, Andrew Schwartz

His passion for the culinary arts began as a young man. Andrew's family deeply integrated generational recipes into their meals as he grew up, and early on, he developed them into his own personal repertoire for his family and friends.

After graduating from the California Culinary Academy's extensive culinary program in 1997, he left California to pursue his love for the outdoors. He chose his internship at the Skyline Guest Ranch in Telluride, Colorado where he spent the next six years fine tuning both his culinary and management skills, and enjoying skiing and golf in his free time. He was privileged to be part of a team that was both nominated for the James Beard Award, as well as cooking at the James Beard House, a foundation and facility which honors exceptional chefs and journalists.

A fondness for the right coast led to his next opportunity to private chef for a family in the Hamptons in New York. He embraced the chance to expand his culinary and professional experience and explored the East Coast and it's melting pot of ethnic and cultural diversity. His employer recognized Andrew's abilities in the kitchen, and sponsored him to travel to China, Vietnam and Thailand to further his training and culinary development in Asian cuisine.

Andrew loves the constant challenges and excitement of the industry. Every day presents another unique opportunity, and helps to keep his dreams and passions alive!

Recently back in Southern California, look for Haute Chef Andrew to coach you through some of his specialties, like regional French, Thai, soups, sauces and slow-cooking.

 

Featured Haute Chef, Scott Aaronson

Born just outside of Detroit in Southfield, Michigan, Scott found early refuge in the foodservice business. On his own as a very young teen, he felt the hard knocks sooner than most. His first job as a soda jerk progressed quickly into sandwiches ice cream and desserts, and by 18, he was running a small kitchen in an Italian restaurant. The restaurants more diverse menu inspired a desire to increase his knowledge of cooking, so he moved on to spend the next several years learning global techniques and preparation.

Cooking soon became more than a satisfactory way to earn a living; Scott realized a creative passion; a way to extend his artistic nature into immediate satisfaction for both himself and those who enjoyed his food. Today, his meticulous preparation is evident in every dish. He is charming and diverse, and his exuberant and comfortable style has invited many opportunities to work with notable celebrity clients such as Mary J Blige, Greg Daniels, Katey Sagal, Jimmy Kimmel, and Carlos Mencia. He has also been seen as a guest "chef-host" on two Los Angeles based cooking shows and his creative presence also earns him time on film and radio.

His most recent challenge and accomplishment was being contracted to design and instruct a weekly culinary program for 300 children, ages 9-17.

Scott's personal specialties are Japanese and Mediterranean fare; with a touch of flare in sauces and soups.

 

Featured Haute Chef, Juan Leon

Born into a culinary family in Guanajuato, Mexico, Chef Leon began his career at the age of ten by working in his parent's seafood restaurant, "Ofelia's". He pursued his passion for cooking and furthered his career by moving to the United States in 1988 and obtained his first position as Sous Chef at the famed "Bistro Gardens" in Studio City.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America's Greystone Campus near Napa, Chef Leon has continued his work with fine culinary teams and was selected to become part of the Patina Group of Los Angeles, assisting famed Chef and Founder Joachim Splichal.

Chef Leon has catered events for such notable organizations as the James Beard Foundation, The U.S.Open and specialized menu development for Lufthansa Airlines. He was lead in a chef team at Patina Restaurant & Catering and subsequently opened the restaurants at the gorgeous new Hotel Zoso in Palm Springs.

His training with Patina, helped him to realize his unique cooking style and refine his creative methods in the kitchen. A recent change of ownership, and a recognition of his exceptional talent, has rewarded him with the Executive Chef position at the outstanding modern-American fare at "Eatz" restaurant at the Zoso.

Haute Chef Juan Leon brings his 20 years of culinary expertise to residents in the desert communities.

 

Featured Haute Chef, Stephanie Dinh

Executive Chef and owner of "S" restaurant in Westminster, Stephanie Dinh and her family remain long-time residents of Orange County. She was formally trained at the highly acclaimed Culinary Institute of America at the Greystone campus near Napa, and holds additional certification in Pastry art from UCLA. As the working and directional owner of both the Final Touch Bakery, as well as her fine dining restaurant, Stephanie brings us a fresh concept, delicious cuisine and a true mission to bring Vietnamese food to the mainstream.

At her restaurant "S" and in her instruction, she focuses on the finest ingredients, the total experience, and an accessible but authentic menu appealing to both experienced diners and those new to the style of Vietnamese fusion cuisine. She excels at regional cuisine from all three sections of Vietnam, namely the north, central and the south. The recipes, a combination of her childhood cuisine and her own creations, remain true to the concept of her restaurant, which is to provide an authentic but mainstream Vietnamese experience.

The "S" moniker in the name refers to the geographic shape of Vietnam, and her menu showcases the regional specialties of each area. For instance, the northern regions are heavily influenced by Chinese cooking, such as noodles, stir fries and soups. The central region's cuisines are known for their use of fresh produce and more elaborate preparation techniques. The southern areas feature a bounty of seafood and tropical-inspired dishes.

Some specialties and her personal favorites include the Bo Luc Lac, Vietnamese-style "shaken beef", which is sauteed diced filet mignon in a garlic, shallot and sweet onion sauce served with a cucumber salad, the Lamb Nuang Xa, a roasted, lemongrass crusted, New Zealand rack of lamb served with broth infused broken rice. The Ca Ri Ca, Chilean sea bass in a spicy curry sauce, served with lime cilantro broken rice, or the Ga Nuong La Chanh, grilled chicken seasoned with almond, lemongrass and lime leaf, served with a spicy curry sauce.

Learning sophisticated Vietnamese cuisine has never been easier, than working with Haute Chef Stephanie Dinh!

 

Featured Haute Chef, Jonathan Eisenberg

He stood on a chair to watch and help his immigrant parents prepare Mediterranean meals in their kitchen, and used the television remote to watch cooking shows instead of cartoons. With an obvious early direction, Jonathan had a fascination for cooking before he could reach the stove. His quick acquisition of culinary knowledge, allowed him his first professional cooking position by age 16.

His appetite to learn more global cuisine, combined with a passion as an adventurer and outdoorsman blended well together, as he carefully positioned himself in the kitchen and the outdoors simultaneously. His choices were deliberate, and he sharpened his skills on the rivers in Chile', at lodges in South America, jungles in Costa Rica, a Four Seasons hotel in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, bistros in California, and prized positions as a private chef along the way.

While traveling as a chef and adventure guide around the world, Jonathan has learned skills from acclaimed top chefs as well as rural villagers who had never set foot outside the unpaved roads of their remote homes. He values both sources of his education as a credit to his unique culinary style.

With each culture he visited, he studied the cuisine, applying their traditional techniques, and becoming familiar with local and often scarce core ingredients. Sometimes working with very little increases your creativity and subsequently he learned to "perfect the simple". His approach to basic, fresh ingredients have given rise to amazing sauces and dishes that elevate the flavors without putting it out of reach for the regular home cook. Challenging himself by limiting his ingredients or just using a few items from a pantry is one of his favorite things to do in the kitchen and it has yielded many new classics to his repertoire.

Jonathan is equally comfortable standing over an open fire pit next to a river, or working the line in a fast paced professional kitchen. His ultimate goal is to bring the flavor of the ingredients forward with innovative preparation techniques and artful presentation.

 

Featured Haute Chef, Suyai Steinhauer

Suyai is a creative and versatile Natural Foods chef who uses creative and unique flavor combinations to challenge the assumptions that healthy eating is often bland and tasteless. Born in Argentina and educated in England and France, her many travels around the world lend an international flair and flavor to her food and cooking.

Suyais' diverse culinary education began with studying nutrition and macrobiotics and interning while continuing her studies, at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City. While remaining in New York, she developed and operated a successful meal delivery service with clients like Andre Balazs, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Sophie Dahl, and assisted in the kitchen at Mario Batali's famed eatery "Po." With over eight years experience as a private chef and caterer on both coasts, she has fine tuned her expertise preparing delicious, healthy, balanced food - her recipes have been developed over the years of cooking in people's homes, so they are perfectly designed for the at home-cook who wants something tasty and simple to prepare for friends and family. From easy, everyday food to sophisticated, elevated cuisine, her menus always promise maximum flavor and nutrition.

Suyai's personal food journey has taken her full circle from eating "raw", to "vegan", and even "macrobiotic." And, while she appreciates and utilizes all ingredients, she approaches food with a deep knowledge and understanding of nutrition and the profound effect that food can have on our health, our mood and our lives. Suyai is passionate about helping people make healthier food choices. Her recipes combine exotic, flavorful ingredients that help to demystify healthy eating and make it accessible to all of us.

 

Featured Haute Chef, Bryce Alderton

Five years ago, Alderton was a full time sports writer, covering high school and community college sporting events for the Daily Pilot newspaper. Now, at 29, the O.C. resident critiques local restaurants as a freelance magazine writer and enjoys teaching cooking courses to home chefs. He graduated recently from Laguna Culinary Arts Professional Chef course, and since, has been exploring a range of food, events and parties as prep-cook and assistant manager for several local professional caterers.

He enjoys teaching because it provides the opportunity to share his knowledge and passion for food with others in a "more-relaxed" setting. Growing up with a mom who is also a chef and graduate of LCA, they share a mutual excitement for cooking, and continue to learn from one another.

Bryce's favorite foods to eat are generally from the Mediterranean region: Greek, Italian, Spanish and Moroccan. He spends most of his time with family and friends, but also enjoys serving those less fortunate. His most recent missionary trip to Africa in 2006, brought him new respect for simple ingredients, as most all of his meals there consisted of rice, potatoes, and some form of meat. They were well fed, but when he returned home, it spurred his creativity in bringing out the true, natural flavor of foods. Some of his specialties are grilling tri-tip or broiling fish and serving it alongside fresh, seasonal vegetables.

Look for Haute Chef Bryce Alderton to assist at your next event!

 

Featured Haute Chef, Chris Mitchum

As a child in the show-me state of Missouri, Chris Mitchum's young palate savored the unmistakable flavors of fresh produce harvested from his grandfather's farm. Memories of handpicked raspberries, tomatoes and corn fueled a culinary passion that led him to Hyde Park's Culinary Institute of America.

After graduation, Chef Mitchum left his imprint over a career with Hyatt hotels and resorts from the urban chic cuisine of Cambridge to Monterey's coastal California classics and across the Pacific to the windswept native flavors of Maui. Across the country and in his travels around the world, Mitchum's creative spins on home-style as well as exotic cuisines left patrons and guests with the gift all travelers treasure from that special dining experience - unforgettable memories of flavors and ingredients combined with a sense of place.

Today, as Executive Chef at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort and Spa in Indian Wells, Chef Mitchum indulges spa guests in savory healthful fare while elevating the dining adventures of the resort's private villa VIPs and restaurant patrons with an ever-changing assemblage of gourmet feasts.

Chris's first ever cooking DVD has just been released, but he can also be seen occasionally on VH1, A.M. Northwest, NBC, CBS, and numerous live and taped television shows.

His best menu planning comes while he's paddling out to catch the next big wave, hiking one of his favorite trails or looking into the eyes of his son and loved ones, imagining the next perfect dish to share.

 

Featured Haute Chef, Bob Pechous

Chef Bob's passion for the culinary arts began at an early age. He was actively involved in preparing family meals for his large Midwestern family. Frequent travels around the country have instilled in him a great appreciation for and vast knowledge of Regional American Cuisine.

At the age of 22,after a few years of hands on training and experience in fine dining, Bob moved to San Francisco to attend the California Culinary Academy. While in the Bay area, he further honed his skills at such places as the Ferry Plaza Restaurant, Fog City Diner, and the Lafayette Garden Court.

In 1988, Chef Bob jumped at the chance to work at the City Club of San Francisco. This move turned into a now 19 year career in Private Clubs. He has worked at dining clubs in San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, and the Desert Cities of Rancho Mirage and La Quinta.

Chef Bob has cooked for Royal families, television, movie, and sports stars, well known political figures and industry giants. One of his fondest memories was being asked to sit down with Bob Hope to chat when he visited Mission Hills Country Club.

At the Rancho La Quinta Country Club where he is the Executive Chef, Bob holds a series of sold out cooking classes every year. The classes have ranged from soups, to braising, to his always popular World Grill.

Chef Bob is very active in the Slow Food Movement, having started the first Desert area Convivium and being elected the President. A long standing member of the American Culinary Association, Chef is also involved in many community events and can be seen on the award winning cable television series "The Clubhouse".

 

Featured Haute Chef, Louise Mellor

Louise Mellor is a hostess at heart. She lives and cooks with a strong belief that food brings people together. It is in the kitchen and at the dinner table where relationships flourish and memories are made. After many years of entertaining friends and family and secretly wishing to be Martha Stewart, Louise decided to pursue her passion with food and attend culinary school. After receiving her degree from the Le Cordon Bleu CSCA she enveloped herself into the food industry working for some of Orange County's top caterers, where she further refined her skills as a chef. Louise soon began to realize that unlike most chefs who preferred either the hot kitchen or pastry kitchen, she was comfortable in ANY kitchen. Preparing Coq a Vin to Creme Brule, Louise developed into a chef who could provide the inspiration and execution of an entire event big or small from beginning to end. She loves the magic that goes on behind the scenes at the party, the early morning trip to the farmer's market the lighting of the candles, and the, piece de resistance, carefully prepared and artistically plated food.

Louise's excitement for food is contagious and she thrives in the kitchen sharing all she has learned along the way. Today Louise works as an instructor and focuses a lot of time giving back to the community by offering free cooking classes for teens at risk.

With the classic French techniques tucked in her back pocket, Louise is prepared to create whatever inspires her, the season, the guest of honor, or the theme of the party.

 

Featured Haute Chef, Tony Guillen

A mature and refined perspective of food at age 12 is modest, when you consider that Chef Tony's first meal (created for his mom) included Ratatouille, Chicken Cordon Bleu and a wilted spinach salad. Most kids that age wouldn't get 50 feet near a leaf of spinach, let alone, wilting it and creating its own dressing.

At age 16, one evening while working as a dishwasher, several of the restaurants line cooks called in sick, offering up an opportunity for Tony to try his hand at the grill. He was a natural, and has spent the majority of the last 15 years in various cooking capacities. He pursued his formal education in cuisine, and graduated from the acclaimed school of Culinary Arts in local Pasadena six years ago. He completed an internship at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel, and later served briefly as personal chef to both Tyra Banks and Chris Webber, creating specific meals for their unique dietary needs. Tony has since added a wife and children to his repertoire in the kitchen, with his family lining up to eat his delicious creations. He is most at ease there, finding great personal peace and satisfaction exploring new cuisine while enjoying the support and any extra time he can find with his family. Tony recently moved to the desert area, where his personal journey led him to pursue Japanese cuisine at specialty sushi bars like Okura Robata. He enjoys the traditional aspects of the culture, and the artistic and creative presentations that Japanese food lends itself to.

Watch for Tony in the kitchen to create assertive menus with inspiring flavors in Continental, Mediterranean, Italian and soon, perhaps, even some Asian inspired recipes.

 

Featured Haute Chef, Scott Floyd

Bio Coming Soon