About us
At Croft & Quay, we’re all about sourcing local, seasonal and sustainable food from the rich California coast—taking from both land and sea.
We create personalized menus and experiences for our clients, whether it be upscale, casual or anything in between. We specialize in more intimate events—typically groups of 6 to 60, depending on the format. Our hope is to bring an approachable fine dining experience directly to your home, gathering or event.
CROFT
noun
: a small farm worked by a tenant.
QUAY
noun
: a concrete, stone, or metal platform lying alongside or projecting into water for loading and unloading ships.
bio
I fell in love with the food industry at a very young age. When I was a kid, my grandparents owned a few restaurants in Los Angeles. I remember walking into the kitchen and seeing the fire, the knives, smelling the delicious aromas coming from large stockpots and searing meats—I was hooked. My parents encouraged me to experiment with food and flavors. I learned the basics by watching my mom, aunt and Oma. By grade seven, I knew without a doubt what I wanted to do with my life, and that was cook.
I quickly realized I didn’t need a diploma to go to the school of my dreams, just a GED and two years of work experience. So, after my junior year, I dropped out, got my GED and worked full time at a local restaurant. This got me in to The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York.
At age nineteen, I moved across the country and spent four years at the CIA attaining an associate degree in culinary arts and a bachelor’s degree in professional studies and restaurant management. During my time there, I worked at local restaurants, completed a six-month externship at Stein Ericson’s Lodge in Park City, Utah and went on a life-changing food, wine and agricultural trip to China. Since then, I’ve experienced every side of the industry—from banquet captain to menu consultant and server to executive yacht chef.
After the pandemic hit, I started to hone in on what I’ve always done in the background throughout my culinary career: catering and private parties, but on a smaller, more intimate scale. Over the last couple years, I’ve taken my classical training in cooking and experience (both front-of-house and back-of-house) in various fine dining restaurants, and I’ve poured it into Croft & Quay. My goal is to bring upscale cuisine into people’s homes, parties, gatherings and events… in the most approachable and non-pretentious way.
I’m excited to cook for you and share my absolute love of food and beverage, ocean-to-table and farm-to-table fare, as well as local, sustainable and highly delicious ingredients.
You set the date. I’ll bring the food.
Experience
Executive Chef — Oceans XI Private Yacht — Ventura, CA
Sous Chef — Nobu Ryokan — Malibu, CA
Banquet Captain + Server — Harvest Table, Charlie Palmer Group — Saint Helena, CA
Chef/Menu Consultant — Coffee Crossing — Jeffersonville, IN
Server + Bartender — Tierra Sur at Herzog Wine Cellars — Oxnard, CA
Cook — Stein Ericson’s Lodge — Park City, UT
Banquet Server — ONTHEMARC Events — Hudson Valley, NY
Server — Gusto’s — Hyde Park, NY
Sous Chef — The French Bulldog — Camarillo, CA
Cook — The Canyon Club — Agoura Hills, CA