I love what I do! I find pleasure in creating decadent delights that bring joy to people's lives and put a smile on their faces.

My career began like many culinary professionals, from the bottom up. A chef took me under his wing as an apprentice, and I began in the pantry doing prep work. Then one day he offered me a baking position which had just opened up. It was the late night shift but I said yes anyway and that started my love affair with desserts and pastries.

I attended the culinary program at the local junior college, and enjoyed it, but I knew I wanted something more challenging and prestigious. I wanted to go to the "Harvard" of culinary schools, so I looked to the Culinary Institute of America. I went to an open house, applied, took tests, wrote letters, signed up for loans and was accepted. I enrolled in the 30-week Baking and Pastry Certificate Program. It was intense and a lot of hard work, but it was one of the best decisions I ever made and I would do it again in a heart beat.

Since graduation I have worked in numerous establishments. My prestigious education didn't guarantee a Pastry Chef position, I had to earn the title. I began doing private work for people right out of school, wedding cakes and small pastry orders. A few months afterwards I landed a job as an Assistant Pastry Chef and about five months later I became the Pastry Chef with a staff of four for Shawdowbrook Restaurant, in Capitola by the Sea, Capitola CA. Time passed and I needed to move on from the Central Coast so I picked up and moved.

Everyday has been a learning experience and a great adventure. I now live in L.A., and after working as a Pastry Chef and wedding cake decorator for two years at Jills Cake Creations, Valencia CA, I accepted the position as Pastry Chef at a local, well-known, trendy steak house, Salt Creek Grille in Valencia CA. I had also taken a part-time Pastry Chef position at Tournament Players Club, a prestigious country club right down the street from where I live. There I broadened my horizons and experience working with a great crew of culinarians and great Executive Chef.

Today I am working at UCLA, as a Pastry Sous Chef, working under a well known and experienced Executive Pastry Chef, Ray Works. It is a great job, I learn something new every day and working under Chef Works, who is a 30 year veteran in the industry has been a great blessing. I manage the Swing crew in the 24 hour bakery production cycle with a crew of 3 and we do our part to maintain our average of 23,000 meals a day here on the UCLA campus providing desserts, breads and pastries for all of the dining halls, restaurant outlets and UCLA Catering Co. It is quite a ride and I am enjoying every minute of it. Currently I am also pursuing getting certified through the ACF (American Culinary Federation) as a Certified Working Pastry Chef, (C.W.P.C.), with fingers crossed I hope to be done sometime at the beginning of 2009.