A French term meaning "keeping to eat" or "keeper of the food", refers to the task of preparing and presenting cold foods. These typically include such food items as salads, hors d'oeuvres, cold soups, aspics, and charcuterie.

In 1993 I became Executive Chef at the prestigious Antrim 1844 Country Inn, which had recently been voted one of the top 10 country inns by Country Inns Magazine. With the historic mansion just refurbished, the owners were ready to open the restaurant to the public and establish the Inn as a destination for weddings. Over the next 6 years, I helped the restaurant become renowned throughout the state and received many accolades. As Executive Chef, I also planned and orchestrated over 100 wedding receptions a year.

In what I can only describe as an early midlife crisis, I moved to Colorado in 1999 to fufill a lifelong dream of owning a horse and spending more time outdoors. Here, I took a job as the chef at Dutch Creek Guest Ranch. I also learned to hunt, and in 2001 shot my first elk. I have since learned to prepare game dishes of all kinds, including deer, antelope and grouse.