J&W Grads are "Chefs to the Stars"

A growing group of J&W graduates have created an alumni network and are tapped into the lucrative, fast-paced industry of personal chefs to the stars.

Lee Gross '96: 

Lee Gross is in the enviable post of Gwyneth Paltrow’s personal chef.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in culinary arts from J&W, the Westchester County, N.Y. native became rounds cook at Domaine Chandon, the famed Napa Valley winery where he had interned. There he experienced a self-described mid-20s life crisis. “I got tired of cooking rich food for rich people,” he admits. “I wanted to save the world.”  He considered joining the Peace Corps, but instead returned to his home state and attended the Omega Institute, the country’s largest holistic learning center, and earned his macrobiotic guide certification.

After graduation, contacts led to a call from a woman known as the macrobiotic counselor to the stars: “How would you like to cook for Gwyneth Paltrow?” Gross was a natural for the gig. He interviewed with Paltrow’s P.A. (that’s personal assistant in the biz) on a Friday and was hired the following Monday. By Tuesday, he was making lunch for Paltrow and a guest — Madonna.

Since then, Gross has cooked for Bill Murray, the Beastie Boys, Liv Tyler, Christy Turlington and Ed Burns. Gross has rubbed elbows in the kitchen with Hope Davis and made a macrobiotic cake for the opening of Stella McCartney’s New York boutique.  “I would not be where I am without J&W,” he says of credits his alma mater. “There are too many natural foods cooks out there who are certified.” But Gross’ foundation in the classics enables him to create flavorful dishes to satisfy Paltrow’s worldly palate.

Melissa Petitto ‘04:                                                                               

Working with the likes of Lucy Lui, Carla Gugino, Blythe Danner, Gwenyth Paltrow, and Chris Martin, Melissa Petitto has taken her J&W education, and turned it into the career of a lifetime; personal chef to the stars.

Petitto started her career at 16, working as garde manger at Highland’s Bar and Grill in her home town of Birmingham, Alabama.  At 17, she moved to Sol y Luna, another restaurant in Birmingham, where she was the dessert and prep chef.  At 18, Petitto enrolled at J&W’s Charleston campus, studying culinary nutrition.  

Petitto moved to New York City in September 2005, to pursue her personal chef career.  “Without J&W I don’t think I would have gone into the personal chef business.  The turning point for me was in Spa Cuisine (class) where we discussed the possibility of the personal chef option.  I was hooked from that moment on,” says Petitto.

Starting with just a single family, Petitto’s clientele now consists of a large celebrity base.  “One of the main things that J&W taught me was, network, network, network, Petitto says.”

Chef Cheo:                                                                                             

A graduate of J&W's North Miami Campus, Cheo started his career in some of Miami’s trendiest restaurants, including The Mayfair House Hotel, St. Michel Hotel, and J. Alexander’s.  With such a strong foundation, Cheo took his creative mind from the kitchen to numerous prestigious sporting events, where he showcased his talents at the World Series, Kentucky Derby, Miami Grand Prix and the Daytona 500. Cheo also holds the title of personal chef, cooking for such celebrities as Mario Andretti, Jason Priestly, Tiger Woods, Pete Sampras and Alonzo Morning.

In 2005, Cheo decided to focus on mastering his expertise as a personal chef, preparing meals for Patrick Ewing, Jeff McInnis, Caron Butler and Alfred Liggins.  His current projects include the development of a cooking television series, bottling and marketing of his own branded barbeque sauce, and publishing a cookbook.

Paul Aceto ’03:                                                                                      

Paul planned to rub shoulders with the best in the business world. Today he works with the culinary elite and rubs shoulders with the rich and famous. Two years out of school, Paul is now a chef with Casa Causarina, an exclusive members-only restaurant in the Giorgio Versace mansion in Miami Beach, catering to celebrities like Madonna and Shaquille O’Neil.

Paul began working in restaurants whend he was 15 and enjoyed cooking for his roommates, but a culinary career hadn’t entered his mind. He got his bachelor’s degree in business from Alma College, but didn’t’ feel right about entering the business world. A chef at one of the restaurants he worked was a graduate of Johnson & Wales, so Paul decided to check it out. He moved from Michigan to the Florida Campus because, he jokes, “I got smart and got out of the cold.”

Paul knows what he’s talking about.  He’s gained as much experience and clientele as he can to open his own restaurant in the Florida Keys, offering a variety of dishes from Cuban to French.

“It’s been a transition, but I like change and being out of my comfort zone. I can adapt and read people. You need to keep changing to make you stronger, so you can work smarter and not harder.”

It seems impossible for Paul to work any harder than he already is. His typical day begins at 6am when he rises to train for a triathlon. He then works 12-16 hours at Casa Causarina and then unwinds at home by – what else? – cooking. On days off he’ll throw dinner parties and experiment on dishes with his friends.

Raven “Cake Man” Dennis:                                                                   

With clients that include Oprah Winfrey, Mary J. Blige, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Alicia Keyes, Jay-Z, Patti LaBelle and Lena Horne, Raven "Cake Man" Dennis has become the baker-of-choice among New York's celebrity set.

Raven began his college education at Brown University before deciding to pursue his true passion, when he transferred to J&W. Returning home after graduation, Raven began selling his sumptuous dessert creations out of his Harlem apartment until he could no longer keep up with demand. In 2000, he turned an abandoned bodega on Fulton Street in Brooklyn into a first-class bakery, Cake Man Raven Confectionery.

Raven's big break for baking for the stars came when Lena Horne saw one of his towering confection creations at a private party. After hiring Raven herself, the "Cake Man" became an authority for other celebrity events. Adding to his sparkling résumé, Raven created a 12-foot cake replica of the Brooklyn Bridge in honor of the bridge's 120th birthday, as well as a 13-foot tall, 3.5 ton showpiece cake in the shape of Columbia University's Library for the school's 250th anniversary — an achievement being considered by the Guinness Book of Records.

With more than 30 personal orders a week, including monstrous cakes for five weddings every weekend, Raven is busier than ever. His success, however, has not gone to his head: "Not only am I in the entertainment business, but I bake for the people in my neighborhood, as well," he said in a September, 2005 interview with The Amsterdam News in New York. "If I can help someone along the way, then my life shall not be in vain," he added. With orders coming in from 22 other states and three foreign countries, Raven says: "Once you get the drive, you can try to do things that no one has ever done before." 

Wayne Bryan ’93:                                                                                  

As Alonzo Mourning’s Personal chef, J&W’s North Miami Campus instructor Wayne Bryan worked at Mourning’s a couple of days a week, alternating with his former student, Paola Gaitan ’99. Starting first thing in the morning, whichever chef was on would shop and prepare two days worth of food for Mourning, his wife, two young children, nanny, and a woman who “over saw everything” at the Coconut Grove mansion.  Meals would be labeled, dated and stored.

“My budget was simply "make sure there’s plenty of food," adds Bryan.  Along with VIP seats at the American Airlines Arena, Bryan recalls that sometimes “Zo,” known as one of the most generous athletes, would call him to say, “We’re having a charity event.  Come show your face.”

With Bryan’s high wattage personality and suave British accent, the Manchester, England-native fit in seamlessly. “I got to know their world a little bit,” Bryan says. “I opened the doors wider.”  Bryan has fed Patrick Ewing, Jeff Tweedy (executive vice president of P. Diddys’ Sean jean clothing line), André Agassi and Martin Lawrence.  “You don’t want to get too awestruck,” he confides.  “But you scream inside your body, AAAARRRGGH!”

His high scores with Mourning led the Miami Heat personnel department to call him recently for a stint: Lamar Odom’s personal chef.  Working with former student, Hugh Sinclair ’00, he helped the former L.A. Clipper (and now L.A. Laker) get into shape.

Pablo Monoz ’01:                                                                                   

J&W Providence grad Pablo Munoz ‘01 is busting onto Miami’s personal chef scene along with classmate Justin Ogden ‘01, as they open SportChef, Inc.  Located in Weston, Florida, SportChef is a combination of personal chefs and registered dietitians that have teamed up to meet the growing nutritional needs of today’s professional athletes.

Even though SportChef is a new venture for Munoz, it is not his first experience in the culinary world.  Munoz has a history of working with some of the best chefs and restaurants in the business.  He has worked for E. Michael Riedt, Food & Wine magazine’s “Chef of 2001,” Daniel Boulud of DB Bistro Moderne in New York, and J&W grad Michael Bloise executive chef of WISH in Miami. 

Wanting to expand his culinary creativity, Munoz left the restaurant scene to explore his avenues as a personal chef. Munoz has been linked to Zac Thomas and Ronnie Brown of the Miami Dolphins, Pat Riley, coach of the Miami Heat, and Jerry Bruckheimer, executive producer of various movies including Pearl Harbor and Pirates of the Caribbean.

“My education at J&W was wonderful,” says Munoz, “I think the Culinary Nutrition program will help create a new relationship between the dietitian and the professional chef.  This is what Justin Ogden and I are hoping to do as well by having started SportChef, Inc.”

Matt Shields '03:

Matt Shields really is cooking up “Cheese-Burgers-in-Paradise,” working as private chef to Jimmy Buffett.  

Matt Shields’ goal in life has always been to become a private chef and today he is certainly living that dream cooking for Jimmy Buffett. “Since graduating in 03’, I knew I wanted to pursue a private chef job and I have been very, very fortunate, I owe a lot of thanks to J&W.”   

Matt first worked on a 155 foot yacht owned by David Chase, founder and owner of Chase Enterprises in Hartford, CT. After a three year stint with Chase, Matt had racked up a list of high profile clients. He has worked with Earle Mack, the United States Ambassador to Finland, senior partner of the Mack Co., New York State director of the Council of the Arts, and chairman of New York State Racing Commision. Matt has also been linked to Anne and Jerome Fischer, founders and owners of Nine West Shoe Company, and Brenda Hubble, heiress to Hubble Incorporated in Connecticut.  

Today, Matt enjoys working full time with Jimmy Buffett on his private yacht, spending months at a time sailing in tropical areas like St. Barths. “Originally,” Matt said, “It was only a three-week job to help deliver his yacht to St. Barths, but after the trip I got a call back and was offered a full-time position and have been here since.” Matt contributes a lot of his success to his education at J&W. “Johnson and Wales provided me with the knowledge, skills, and work ethic needed to excel in the food service industry. My experience at Johnson & Wales is reflective of my success in the industry today."