Gina Helms, Dining Room Instructor/Manager, Lunch Service
Gina Helms most recently was as a manager for Chefs Mary Sue Miliken and Susan Fenniger's restaurant La Ciudad. She began her restaurant experience in the kitchen working as a sous chef for Wolfgang Puck Café before moving to the front of the house as a manager. Gina is a graduate of the Art Institute for Culinary Arts.
Chef Matthew Zboray, Chef Instructor/Chef de Cuisine, Dinner Service
Born in San Diego, and raised in a family with Russo-Hungarian heritage on one side and Italian on the other, Chef Matthew Zboray has lived and cooked in California, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Russia, and Basque Country. His affinity for “Old World” style hospitality was fostered in his family and cemented during his time spent in Russia. These eclectic sources color his approach to food as well.
Eventually repelled by the inside the beltway mentality of D.C. and beckoned by the fresh tastes California cuisine had to offer, Matthew returned to the West and settled in Los Angeles. After brief stints with trendy Melrose eateries in West Hollywood, Matthew sought out the more substantive culinary tradition Wolfgang Puck had to offer. Impressed by the emphasis on making the guest feel welcomed and at home, and the honest and elegantly executed food, Matthew happily joined the Wolfgang family.
While working for Wolfgang Puck, Matthew had the pleasure of preparing food for an array of celebrities including Carrol O'Conner, Jene Reno, Bill Clinton, Alice Cooper, David Hasselhauf, Hulk Hogan, Sinbad, Edward Norton, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn and many others. After 5 years with Wolfgang, Matthew decided to transfer his passion for training to The California School of Culinary Arts.
Matthew has enjoyed teaching Culinary History, Introduction to Culinary Arts 1, International Cuisine and Restaurant Practicum 4 at CSCA before taking over Restaurant 561. The more generous schedule of an instructor has afforded Matthew more time to focus on his decidedly low tech hobbies of restoring his 70 year old home, hand forging chef knives, and studying ancient food history. The school has also allowed him to travel to Basque country where Matthew was able to stage with his long time culinary hero, Juan Mari Arzak at Restaurant Arzak.
Matthew Carrerow, Chef Instructor/Chef de Cuisine, Lunch Service
Matt Carrerow is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He began his professional career with the Ritz Carlton Resort and Hotel Corporation under Executive Chef Christian Rassinoux.
Matt progressed to Sous Chef at Mirabeau, a classic French Bistro in Dana Point for Chef/Owner David Pratt, who studied under James Beard “Best Chef” recipient, Julian Serrano.
While at Mirabeau, Matt developed and taught the “Cook with the Chefs” series of classes which remains a popular feature of the restaurant’s current operation.
Prior to joining Le Cordon Bleu, Matt had an opportunity to work under Chef Troy Faruta at Svelte Restaurant in Corona Del Mar, a local hot spot known for sophisticated “comfort food” and Chef Faruta’s spur-of-the-moment tasting menus.
But Matt’s culinary journey actually began at two-years of age when he would stand on a kitchen chair to cook scrambled eggs for his family.
Mr. Robert Soriano, Dining Room Instructor/Manager, Dinner Service
Robert Soriano has been with California School of Culinary Arts since 2001. He has a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. His experience in the food service industry began as a server of casual dining at Claim Jumper Restaurants. He then progressed to semi-formal service during his time with McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood. Eventually he was able to learn and master his fine dining service techniques working at the Ritz-Carlton Resort & Spa in Pasadena. He has been with 561 since a few months of its opening in 2000. He has held many roles in the restaurant such as server, bartender, and beverage manager. He is also partially responsible for achieving the highest Zagat service rating 561 has ever earned. Now he shares his experiences with the students as an instructor of restaurant service at CSCA for both the Culinary and the Hospitality & Restaurant Management programs.
Make your reservation now at 626-405-1561 or www.opentable.com