Meet Our Chefs |
Meet Our Chefs
Martin's School of Cooking classes are taught by a variety of well-known chefs throughout the region. From restauranteurs and caterers to educators and corporate chefs, we are proud to welcome some of the best chefs in the Midwest!
Martin's Super Markets
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Elise Kunkel is Martin's Cooking School Coordinator. She has been with the company for almost 3 years, and feels incredibly lucky to have this be her first "real" job! A graduate of Bethel College '06, Kunkel concentrated in Business Marketing and Elementary Education. She interned in Martin's marketing department her senior year, and began to assist with the cooking school program at that time. Currently, Elise manages the cooking school and teaches the majority of girl scout and kids classes. She enjoys all types of food, but admits her weakness is cheese! She resides in South Bend with her husband Raun, and Howie, her cockapoo.
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Chef Peter Pica has been in the restaurant business for 22 years. He is currently a Culinary Arts instructor at the Elkhart Area Career Center. Chef Pete is a certified teacher with the state of Indiana and is also a certified ServeSafe instructor. His past work experiences include the University of Notre Dame, Westin Hotels and Resorts, and Wyndham Garden Hotels and Resorts. He graduated from Ivy Tech Indianapolis in 1992 with his AAS in Culinary Arts Technology. He is currently working on his Bachelors of Career and Technical Education at Indiana State University. He has coached culinary teams for the ProStart Culinary Invitational and has had two of his teams win the state championship in the past four years. His family consists of four kids ages eight and under and his wife Kristin. |
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Elkhart Career Center
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Chef Greg Beachey has more than 20 years of experience in the food industry. Currently Culinary Arts Instructor at Elkhart Career Center, Chef Greg has also held the position of Executive Chef at Bread & Chocolate, Goshen IN; Greencroft Retirement Community, Goshen, IN; and Camp Friedenswald, Cassopolis, MI. Chef Beachey earned a business degree from Goshen College, but soon discovered that food was his true love. He has won a number of awards; most recently 2007 Chef of the Year from the South Bend Chapter of the American Culinary Federation. Chef Greg is also an avid ice carver, and competes throughout the winter months. He resides in New Paris with his wife and three children.
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Dinner @ 8 Catering
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Chef Eileen Quinn did her culinary training in the Caribbean, where she later owned the Cabana Bar and Grille in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. After moving to this area, she began a personal chef and catering business, Dinner at 8, and served as Resident Chef at the Good Gourmet Cooking School. Recently, Chef Eileen was given the opportunity to cater for Candice Olson, host of Divine Design on HGTV. A retired teacher, she continues to teach culinary classes in Indiana and Michigan. Her classes are always innovative and filled with laughter and delicious food.
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Tim Foley has been baking for more than 20 years and is a graduate of California Culinary Academy. Before becoming the owner and head baker at Bit of Swiss Bakery, he was a chef at numerous restaurants, including Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida and Ambria in Chicago, Illinois. Tim Foley is a charter member of the Bread Bakers Guild of America, and was awarded the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (World Championship of Baking) Silver Medal in 2002 and brought home the gold in 2005. He has been featured on the Food Network in specials such as “Food Finds” and “World Baking Cup,” and was a special guest on the Today Show in 2002. Most recently,USA Today featured Bit of Swiss on their top 10 list of artisan bread bakeries. |
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University of Notre Dame
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April Howell’s culinary versatility is evident in her ability to adapt to the ever-changing audience she cooks for. April is a Minneapolis native, but currently resides in South Bend with her husband, Nathan. After living as newly-weds in Manchester, England, April pursued her dream of working in the kitchen and enrolled in the chef apprentice program at IvyTech. April has had the opportunity to learn under mentors’ guidance in countless culinary environments. She has been awarded the American Culinary Federation’s South Bend Chapter Junior Chef of the Year award two years in a row, and has worked alongside culinary greats such as Chef Gordon Ramsay on the FOX television show Kitchen Nightmares. Chef April is a popular instructor for our childrens programs.
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Alan Perry got into cooking 25 years ago because he was a “pretty good cook.” He loves being in the kitchen and putting products and ideas together to come up with something for people to enjoy. Chef Alan is a Certified Executive Chef in the American Culinary Federation and has been for about 12 years. Over the years he has honed his culinary skills at such notable places as the University of Notre Dame and Swan Lake Resort. Chef Alan is infamous in the School of Cooking for his use of Mexican flavors. He is a multiple winner of the Michiana Chili Cook-Off, which is held every October at Martin's Heritage Square location. Says Alan: “If I could put my philosophy into words it would be to have fun in the kitchen. I have never had a guest compliment me on my use of knife skills; only what a great tasting meal.”
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Edie Sutton is the Consumer and Family Sciences Educator for Purdue University Cooperative Extension in St. Joseph County. As a graduate of Purdue University receiving both BS and MS degrees in the College of Consumer and Family Sciences, Edie has been teaching others how to select, prepare and eat healthier meals for the past ten years. She understands that families are challenged to eat healthy while maintaining very active and often hurried lifestyles. She has been teaching a variety of healthy cooking classes in the community with all emphasizing dishes that are simple, quick, healthy and of course delicious. Edie offers “Dining with Diabetes” class several times each year. She writes an e-news letter called Nutrition Nibbles. |
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Advance Fresh Concepts
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Born in a small town in Japan, Sakurayama began his culinary journey taking a job at a local sushi restaurant in Tokyo. He quickly developed a penchant for cooking. Chef Adam came to United States in 1983 and took a job at Japanese Steak House in Chicago. After working 20 years at the restaurant as general manager and sushi chef, he enrolled in the culinary arts program at Kendall College to polish his culinary background and decided to pursue a career as a regional manager for the sushi franchise the operates Martin's sushi counters. He has taught sushi workshops at numerous locations, including University of Chicago, Dierberg's School of Cooking in Saint Louis, and Kendall College.
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Ivy Tech Community College
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For more than 25 years, Chef George has been pursuing his passion for cooking in the Michiana area. He began his career at the famed Carriage House and since then has worked at numerous restaurants in South Bend, Mishawaka and Elkhart. His true passion though, is teaching. He has been a Culinary Arts instructor at Ivy Tech Community College since its culinary program began in 2000. Chef George is also an active member of the American Culinary Federation South Bend Chefs & Cooks Association. In past years he has served as both chapter president and chairman of the board. Chef George loves cooking in many different styles, but his specialties are various Asian cuisines and seafood.
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Fitness Gourmet
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Lori Mazick is a certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant and a Certified Personal Trainer. Put those two things together and you have the Fitness Gourmet. Also the name of her radio lunch program, Lori shares Fitness and Nutrition advice with the listening audience. Lori also visits Martin's at State Road 23 and Ironwood each month, checking grocery lists and shopping carts and giving shopping tips while doing a live radio broadcast. Lori teaches a number of our gluten free cooking classes, and knows first-hand how challenging it can be to eat without wheat. “The cooking is a side passion of mine. I'm so glad to be able to use it now in a public forum!” |
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Elkhart General Hospital
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Chef Bill O'Brien's career started at the age of 12, where he grew up in Philadelphia working for his aunt in a commercial kitchen. He attended Johnson & Wales College in Rhode Island and graduated with a Culinary Arts degree in 1981. He landed his first Executive Chef position at Georges in Harmony, Rhode Island. Since then, Chef Bill has spent time with Marriot Hotels & Resorts, and served as a training chef for the Indianapolis Colts and other NFL teams. In 1997 he was invited to help cook for a State Dinner at the White House, and continued to serve as a White House On-Call Chef for the next 8 years. Since 1997, Chef Bill has held the position of Executive Chef at Elkhart General Hospital. He resides in Granger with his family.
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Gia Russa Brands
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Picture a 10 year old boy standing on a milk crate to wash dishes in his grandmother’s restaurant, and you have the early culinary life of Chef David Phillips. This early exposure to restaurant life fed Chef David’s love of food and eventually led him to his career in the culinary arts. Chef David attended the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute and graduated with a Le Cordon Bleu Diploma & Associates Degree of Specialized Technology in Culinary Arts. Chef David has had the honor and pleasure to cook for such notable sports personalities as Jack Hamm and Mario Lemieux as Sous Chef, at the Sewickley Heights Golf Club. His extensive restaurant and banquet experience combined with his strong culinary education make Chef David and invaluable member of the Gia Brands Inc. team. |
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Frontera Foods
From 1980-1996, JeanMarie worked at the Chicago Tribune as the assistant Food Editor and Test Kitchen Director. She is the editor of four cookbooks for the Tribune and the recipient of three writing awards from the Association of Food Journalists. JeanMarie’s food and cooking column, titled Dinner at Home, is currently featured twice monthly in the Chicago Tribune and nationwide in Tribune Company newspaper food sections.
In 1995, Brownson helped launch Chicagoland Television’s “Good Eating Show,” a weekly television show where she was the featured chef for more than 80 episodes. Julia Child, Emeril Lagasse, Paul Prudhomme, Martin Yan, Jacques Pepin, Barbara Kafka, Rozanne Gold, James Peterson and Nina Simonds were among her guests on the show.
JeanMarie Brownson was born in Chicago to a family that enjoys cooking. After receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Foods and Nutrition from Mundelein College of Loyola University, she completed the chef’s apprenticeship with the Westin Hotel chain. In 1978, she had the good fortune to discover food writing and recipe development while working in the test kitchens of Cuisine magazine.
Brownson co-authored three books with Rick and Deann Bayless including “Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen” (Scribner, 1996), which won the Cookbook of the Year Award from the IACP/Julia Child Cookbook Awards, and Mexico—One Plate at a Time, winner of the James Beard Foundation’s International Cookbook Award (Scribner, 2000).
Brownson, Rick Bayless and Manny Valdes founded Frontera Foods, Inc., a specialty food company and makers of regional, authentic Mexican foods, in 1996. As the company’s Culinary Director, she is in charge of all new product development, quality control and consumer educational materials including recipes and editorial food articles. Brownson also is an owner of Frontera Media Productions which produces Mexico—One Plate at a Time with Rick Bayless. Brownson is the Executive Culinary Director on the show.
She is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier (board member for 5 years) and the International Association of Culinary Professionals (annual conference chair 1997).
She has been teaching cooking classes at local schools and supermarkets for more than two decades. JeanMarie lives (and cooks) with her family in the Chicago suburbs.
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