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I grew up split time between my mother cursing in Portuguese as she learned cooking three squares on a budget and weekends on the farm with hippie stepmom's twig and berry health conscience foodstuff. My favorite earliest culinary memories include me at 5years old in grocery shopping cart ordering my mom to get fixins for sautŽed mushrooms and eggplant parmesan, and colorful Sundays extended family gatherings at my Nonna's enjoying her Northern Italian dishes of Rabbit(from our bohemian farm) Cattictore on Polenta, Cold Cuts, Bunia Calda and her ridiculous devils chocolate layer cake dripping with her chocolate icing(still can't make it like her). Starting somewhere at the age of 7 my early endeavors cooking for sustenance mimicking my mom's dishes and to avoid my step mother's horrible attempts of healthy foods, naturally made me comfortable in the kitchen.My first professional job was paid under the table at 15 washing dishes. Worked my way up and through the La Jolla kitchens washing dishes, prep cook, bus boy, bar back, line cook, to Chef. I realized at 19years old as a broiler cook at Chuck's Steak House cooking alone(the other broiler cook pulled a no show) one busy Friday night having a blast as usual talking with each customer while they piled up their plates at the salad bar, I placed their steak on my char grill as part of our conversation. Before I knew it, the night ended and I rocked 265 covers. At that moment, I knew that I belong to this industry.I have been fortunate to travel to Italy, France, Trinidad, and Switzerland. I have lived in Barcelona, Paris and Los Angeles. I am blessed to be a part of this wonderful industry as well as thankful of all the lessons on the culinary path and exited about what is to come.