Vanessa was born in San Antonio, Texas, but her family moved to Atlanta when she was
five years old. Her first job was as a hostess at the local O’Charley’s. Vanessa showed a lot of
hustle and determination, and soon they were utilizing her to help with prep, takeout, and bar
backing. While working there, she also took a job across the street at a sports bar, bussing and
dishwashing. From there, Vanessa ended up working in restaurants almost exclusively for over
21 years. She’s worked just about every position there is from host, dishwasher, pantry cook, and
bartender, all the way to general manager. Vanessa stayed with several restaurant groups for
extended periods of time, including BRIO Tuscan Grille and BrickTop’s in Buckhead and a few
Irish pubs, until she landed with Fifth Group Restaurants. There she started as a server at Alma
Cocina and moved through three of their concepts while working her way up to being a general
manager for them over the course of eight years.

Vanessa loves cooking Tex-Mex style food, as it’s what she grew up with. “My aunts
would argue it’s Mexican food, but we are all from Texas, and I know the difference,” Vanessa
says. But when it comes to her favorite food to eat, it’s “sushi all day!” When she’s craving
comfort food, she reaches for a hot bowl of ramen from Silverlake Ramen in midtown, but she
also loves the sandwiches at the bar at Cheba Hut by GA Tech.

When she’s not working, Vanessa loves spending time with her 14-year-old son Aaron.
“He teaches me so much every day about myself,” she says. “I also love to crochet and have an
Etsy shop I started last year on a whim. It’s been pretty successful so far!”

Vanessa grew up with family dinners being extremely important in her household. “It
was a great time of the day for us to connect and touch base with each other,” she reflects. “As I
got older, I became more involved with the cooking process. My mother taught me how to make
leftovers last for days and how to make delicious meals out of whatever you have in the pantry,
no matter how small.

Deborah was born and raised in Atlanta. She stayed in town for college, majoring in Hospitality Administration at Georgia State University, but after graduating, she moved to New York City. Her first job after college was at Le Parker Meridien Hotel as Room Service Assistant Manager. She moved on to Event Manager with Starr Restaurants, and then worked for Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse in New York for six years.

In 2015, Deborah and her husband moved back to Atlanta to be closer to family. Before joining our team at Atlanta Personal Chef Service, she worked with Fifth Group Restaurants, overseeing their group dining sales team and eight Atlanta locations.

Deborah’s love of food informs her choice of career. “I love to eat everything!” she shares. “I like to be very open-minded and exploratory in my dining experiences. I think living in NYC for a decade definitely helped feed that desire.” Since moving back to Atlanta, Deborah’s favorite restaurant dish she’s had is the curry soup with tossed noodle at Food Terminal.

Deborah spends her free time with her husband and two children, usually somewhere outside, like the park, pool or mountains. She also has her Level 1 certification from the Court of Masters Sommeliers, so she enjoys learning about new wines and drinking it.

Chef Gizzy is a passionate Chef that is native to Atlanta, Georgia. She has been cooking in professional, fine dining kitchens for the past 10 years after graduating from Le Cordon Blue College of Culinary Arts. While developing her craft she formed valuable relationships with many Chefs in Atlanta. She worked for Kevin Rathbun, Linton Hopkins, and under the various talented Chefs at Fifth Group Restaurants. Recently, she was on Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen Season 18. While Ramsay’s name carries a lot of clout, she is most inspired by Chef Mossimo Bottura’s take on classic Italian cuisine. They even had caviar together in France! Gizzy focuses on local, seasonal ingredients to create technically executed and flavorful dishes in an array of cuisines that include; Southern American, Modern European, Tex Mex, Cajun, and Mexican. She loved to make and eat fresh pasta dishes and snacking on charcuterie boards with different funky cheeses. One of her favorite casual spots to dine is Food Terminal because of their specialty in Asian street food. The Grandma BBQ Pork and Garlic Bone Marrow Noodle soup are to die for. Her favorite upscale restaurant is Umi in Buckhead. She highly recommends their Omakase Menu. In her free time, you can find Gizzy tending her garden. While not a natural green thumb, she is getting better each season with the help of her father. She grows a variety of different herbs and vegetables such as; heirloom tomatoes, zephyr squash, and bell peppers. Gizzy is a fun-loving and versatile Chef who loves spreading joy through her food.

Chef Carolyn is the rare soul who was born, raised, and still lives in Atlanta. She grew up cooking with her family every week, and food has always been a big part of her life. Julia Child was an important inspiration for Chef Carolyn. “My mom and I would watch the PBS show she had with Jacques Pépin,” she remembers. “The love that she had for food was so inspiring. Knowing that it’s all trial and error—that no one is perfect at everything, and that’s okay!”

Carolyn got her start in the food industry as an apprentice at a country club in upstate New York. She attended Le Cordon Bleu, and worked for W Hotels for six years, working her way up from a dishwasher and line cook to a pastry chef for the entire hotel. She also worked her way around Fifth Group Restaurants for almost nine years, starting at Lure as a line cook. She worked at two South City Kitchen locations as sous chef and graduated to executive chef at The Original El Taco.

Chef Carolyn has a hard time picking her favorite foods to cook, but Asian is definitely at the top. “I just love to cook food that people will enjoy,” she enthuses. “I like to whip something together with whatever I have in the fridge and make it taste good!” When it comes to her personal eating preferences though, it’s all about the snacks, and especially anything with cheese. But she also loves sushi, Korean bbq, and the Shrimp a la Plancha at The Optimist.

Carolyn has three dogs that she confesses she probably loves too much. She likes to spend time with friends and family, which usually revolves around some sort of food. She loves movies—nerding out on all things Marvel and Harry Potter. True crime podcasts fill up all her time while driving, cooking and cleaning, with My Favorite Murder being her all-time favorite.

Chef Marty was born and raised in central Los Angeles in the middle of the city’s head-spinning culinary diversity, which inspired and informed his palate from a young age. An amazing dinner at chef Nancy Silverton’s seminal LA restaurant Campanile was the fuse that lit his passion to create wonderful culinary experiences and pursue a career in the field.

He began his career at Joachim Splichal’s Patina Catering Group, working on both private parties and major events such as the Oscars and the Emmys. He then became cheese monger at Joan’s On Third in LA, followed by four years with Lulu Powers Food to Flowers as Event Coordinator. After relocating to South Florida, Marty worked as head chef at Someone’s In The Kitchen Catering in Palm Beach, creating and implementing menus for both high profile events and private parties.

After two close shaves with major hurricanes, he decided to move to Atlanta in the fall of 2017, where since arrival he’s been the Chef/Kitchen Manager at Atlanta caterer Post Exchange Catering.
Marty’s favorite chefs are Louisville’s Edward Lee, who fuses his Korean roots with a New Southern sensibility, and LA’s Roy Choi, famous for his Korean/Mexican combinations.

He’s very excited to have settled in the Atlanta area, loving its mixture of big city bustle and sophistication and Southern charm and kindness. He finds the food scene here inspiring and revelatory, loving everything from Ramen at Umaido in Buford to a wonderful, creative meal at chic in town spots such as 8ARM. In addition to the Atlanta food scene, he enjoys Piedmont Park, the High Museum, and long walks with his three dogs on the Beltline.

Marty’s greatest happiness comes from providing people a consistently special dining experience. He’s truly grateful to be one of the fortunate people whose passion in life aligns with their profession. He greatly looks forward to sharing that passion with the clients of Atlanta Personal Chef Service.

Chef Jason was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, but when he was seven years old, his
family moved to Alpharetta, Georgia, where he grew up. After graduating high school, he went
to work as a food runner at P. F. Chang’s, which inspired Jason to take a three-month
introductory culinary course at Clayton University. As he was taking the culinary course, he
discovered how natural it felt to create dishes and cook. His love and passion for cooking grew,
so after obtaining his certification from Clayton University in 2002, he went on to Le Cordon
Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Atlanta. He has also received his NASM Nutrition certification.

Chef Jason started his culinary career at Canoe Restaurant, working his way up every line
position. He eventually went on to stage at Cherokee Country Club and then was off to Chicago
to stage for Charlie Trotter (who is one of his greatest inspirations). Jason eventually returned to
Atlanta, continuing his career at The Ritz Carlton as a Chef De Partie, receiving a 5-star award
for his performance in the kitchen. After taking a break from cooking to venture into sports
nutrition and bodybuilding, in 2020, Chef Jason found his way back into cooking as head chef of
SAA Meal Prep Co., where he developed, created and prepared weekly menus.

Any type of pasta dish tops Chef Jason’s list of favorite foods to make. He shares how
much he enjoys “the detail and delicate steps you must put into making the pasta, the sauces, and
the proteins that come together to create an amazing well-rounded dish.” When it comes to his
favorite foods to eat, Jason loves any type of contemporary American fusion and addition to any
style of Asian cuisine, Italian cuisine and Korean BBQ. In particular, the Squid Ink Malfadini
(charred calamari, native shrimp and mussels) at St Cecilia is a favorite dish of his.

Chef Jason enjoys experimenting with a variety of ingredients, transforming them with
different techniques and creating new flavor combinations. Outside of the kitchen, Jason loves to
visit farmers markets and attend concerts, and he takes time to maintain a healthy lifestyle by
working out, hiking and playing disc golf.

Chef DeAngela was born in Hopewell, Virginia but raised throughout metro Atlanta majority of her life since the age of three. She calls herself a “Georgia girl.” Food is a huge part of her family; her mom prepares the many dip spreads and side salads, while her dad smokes the meats outside. Food has always been a way to reconnect with her family.

DeAngela began in the industry working as prep in Zoës Kitchen and quickly learned that she wanted to know more. While she was in school as a third-year biology major student, she applied to Gwinnett Technical College program for Culinary Arts. She was accepted and never looked back. She began working as “five star cook” at Lake Lanier Islands & Resort, where she made meals for employees. DeAngela became the Garde Manger Supervisor, working under Sous Chef Sam, who she describes as “tough and funny.” DeAngela continues, “She was a powerhouse who advocated for woman in the kitchen to be as tough as everyone else, and she showed me how to be a great leader.”

Chef DeAngela has also worked as a Lead Cook at Concino, a tex-mex concept for Compass Group, Lead BOH Manager for Stone Mountain Park, and Sous Chef with Sodexo for two years. (“My favorite thing was making donut burgers for the students. Angus beef slider on donut bun topped with arugula and bacon tomato jam was the hit!”) In addition, she worked as an Executive Chef for a kosher assistant living facility. There she changed the view of kosher style and assistant living food with a farm to table theme where the residents help grow the food themselves.

DeAngela’s favorite food is Korean, she enjoys the food at Tofu Village in Duluth, and she loves pickled anything. At home, she loves to create things out of what she has in the pantry. “You make your best meals out of what you find in a chef’s house,” she says.

In her free time, DeAngela likes to explore Atlanta, walking the beltline and grabbing an ice cream at Jeni’s. She likes action TV shows, and her favorite movie is Mean Girls.

Paul was born in West Germany, but grew up in Acworth. While he’s been in the restaurant industry for 17 years, he’s been baking since he was three years old. This led him to pursue education at Johnson & Wales University in both Baking & Pastry Arts and Culinary Arts, studying at both the Providence, Rhode Island and Charlotte, North Carolina campuses. It was during that time that he worked for Tom Colicchio’s Craft restaurants, working at different locations on the East Coast.

Chef Paul has spent the last 10 years working in the city under Atlanta legend Kevin
Rathbun. It is here where hospitality and cooking with care became a primary focus for Chef
Paul.

Despite spending most of his career as a pastry chef, Chef Paul’s love for cooking kept
him always searching for more knowledge and food styles. Although he especially loves making
pasta, Paul can cook anything from Japanese to Lebanese to Swedish meatballs (his family
recipe).

When Paul is not cooking at home, you can usually find him in the Supporter’s Section at
Atlanta United matches, or at Ticonderoga Club drinking wine and debating the finer points of
pro wrestling. He firmly believes that the best way to show you care about someone is to cook
for them, and he looks forward to bringing that to you soon.

Chef Annalie was born in Boston but her family moved to Lawrenceville, Georgia when she was five years old, where she grew up helping her mom cook. When she was a senior in high school, Annalie started her cooking her own food, as she wanted to venture into a healthier diet. While beginning to make her own meals, she truly fell in love with cooking, so she decided to change her college major to the thing she loved. She’s been in the restaurant industry ever since.

Annalie’s first “Back of House” experience was at First Watch Restaurants. Then she moved to Seasons 52, where she worked under Chef Kyle, who always encouraged her in the kitchen with this simple mantra of  “go for it.” Another chef who greatly inspired Annalie was Chef Mia Castro Chef—a Hispanic chef who cooks with fresh, nutritious ingredients, which is Chef Annalie’s wheelhouse. “The food she makes reminds me of home while still adding a very creative twist to things,” Annalie explains.

Annalie’s favorite dishes to cook are pastelitos, stuffed peppers, and moro de guandules con pollo, and she enjoys eating rice dishes, beef, and “any and every pastry on earth.” Her favorite restaurant in Atlanta is Flower Child.

In her free time, Annalie likes to journal, exercise, listen to podcasts, and read articles. She lives by the adage, When you tell yourself “you can’t,” you won’t. When you tell yourself “you will,” you’ll try.

Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Carly got her start in the culinary industry at a young
age. She began working, absorbing, and falling in love with food as a twelve-year-old in a local
bakery. As the years passed, her passion for the culinary world grew. She pursued a Baking and
Pastry Degree at The Culinary Institute of America, went to Ireland for a Culinary Certificate
from Ballymaloe Cookery School, and rounded out her education with a Culinary Management
degree from Southern New Hampshire University.

One of Carly’s favorite things about the industry is that learning never ceases. Carly’s
career has led her to many different locations learning from many different people. Her
adventures include discovering the ins and outs of managing a vegan café, churning ice cream at
an ice cream shop, leading a team at a Middle Eastern Café, plating desserts at a fine dining
restaurant, and beyond. One of the most influential chefs Carly had the privilege to work with
was Ana Sortun. Ana’s perspective on Middle Eastern cuisine, spices, and vegetable cookery
was eye opening to Carly and completely changed the way she approached cooking. Carly loves
cooking from a wide range of cuisines, but finds the most enjoyment when discovering a dish or
cuisine unfamiliar to her.

A new transplant to Atlanta, Carly is looking forward to uncovering all that the culinary
scene in Atlanta has to offer. As someone with a major sweet tooth, she’s especially looking
forward to finding the best ice cream in the city. When she’s not exploring new restaurants, you
can find Carly obsessing over her twelve-year-old toy poodle, Ike. Carly and Ike love long walks
with beautiful scenery, snuggling up with a good book, or working on a new crochet project.
Carly has also recently discovered a love of the gym, growing stronger, and making healthy
meals taste their best. Carly is beyond excited to bring her love and passion for food into your
home and onto your plates.

Chef David was born in Illinois, but he grew up in Kennesaw, Georgia where he lived for
most of his life until moving to Atlanta over a decade ago. David got into cooking from helping
his mom in the kitchen and continued during his time in Scouting. He eventually started working
in kitchens to pay for his music ambitions and activities. Over the years working in different
restaurants, he fell in love with the atmosphere and culture. “I found another creative outlet that I
enjoyed and was good at,” Chef David shares. “I loved connecting to people through the food
and service.”

David went to college for music education before switching to hotel/restaurant
management.Then after figuring out that he wanted to be a chef, he went to culinary school and
graduated in 2009 from Le Cordon Bleu. While in culinary school, David started working in chef
driven-kitchens, working at the Hilton in downtown Atlanta, Rathbun’s, Krog Bar, and KR
SteakBar. He was also a chef at Top Flr and 1Kept, and his latest role was as lead sous chef at
South City Kitchen in Midtown for the past six years.

David has read a lot of cookbooks and loves to learn something new or a different
perspective on a cuisine or dish. Some of his favorite books are from Yotam Ottolenghi for his
take on vegetables and how to get creative with them. Chef David will eat “pretty much
anything,” but he loves trying to cook new dishes or something he’s been reading about. His
favorite cuisines are Southern, Italian, and Mediterranean, and he enjoys grilling out and
smoking various meats, as well as baking and making pastries and pasta.

David is a self-proclaimed “big nerd” who loves all things Marvel, comics, and sci-fi. He
reads a lot, from cookbooks to fiction. “I enjoy learning and try to learn something new every
day if I can,” he explains. David enjoys live music and comedy, as well as going to see movies,
visiting a new brewery, or going to watch sports, especially Atlanta United.