| Expertise
• Profitable Culinary Concept
Development
• Cost of Goods Reduction and Management
• Product Innovation for Foodservice and Retail
• Menu Strategy and Operations
• Culinary Management Systems
• Formulation for Industrial Scale Processors
Andrew is a research
and development chef with 20 years experience creating
profitable and operationally efficient menu concepts
with a focus on flavor, functionality, cost reduction,
cost management and supply chain efficiencies.
As former vice
president of culinary development for Wolfgang Puck,
Chef Andrew was responsible for translating Wolfgang's
signature fine dining vision, style and sensibility
into profitable fast casual menu concepts for 90+ Express
and Bistro units throughout United States, Canada and
Japan. The Express and Bistro menus feature fresh, all-natural
and organic ingredients prepared to order with a fast-casual
price point. Chef Andrew is currently retained by Wolfgang
Puck Worldwide to develop retail and consumer food products
for manufacturing.
Since childhood,
Andrew aspired to be a chef. He cooked his way through
college in a variety of front line and management positions.
He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America
in 1988. Andrew learned the craft of flavor and menu
item development from award winning Chef Barbara Tropp
of China Moon fame where he was chef de cuisine. Barbara
was instrumental in developing P.F. Chang's initial
menu.
Andrew developed
the retail food offerings for Webvan.com, an Internet
grocer, before moving to Darden Restaurants where he
managed the culinary operations for the 525 unit Olive
Garden chain. Andrew was responsible for developing
Olive Garden's recipes, testing protocol and training
for new and existing menu items.
As a consulting
chef, Andrew has worked with casual dining concepts
including Paul Fleming's Paul Lee's Chinese Kitchen,
TGI Friday's and Starbucks. Andrew has developed retail
products that are sold in hundreds of grocery stores
across the country for companies including Wolfgang
Puck Worldwide, Niman Ranch and Kikkoman. He has formulated
products for industrial processors including Ventura
Foods, Kagome, Ken's and Cavendish Farms.
Andrew is a partner-owner
of The Cravery, a Beverly Hills based potpie company
that sells in retail and club stores. He has an A.O.S.
in culinary arts from the Culinary Institute of America,
a B.A. in culinary history from New College and an M.A.
in museum studies from San Francisco State University.
He serves on the Center for Culinary Development's prestigious
Chef's Council and is a member of Research Chefs Association,
International Association of Culinary Professionals
and National Restaurant Association.
Andrew was the
chef author with cardiologist Dr. Steven Schnur of the
Reality Diet, published by Penguin in 2006. He has written
numerous articles in culinary magazines including Santé,
QSR, Food Product Design and Culinology.
Andrew lives in Los Angeles with
his wife and two children.
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