Carla Hall – CAP ’96

“Top Chef” Finalist/Executive Chef/Owner – Alchemy Caterers, Takoma Park , MD

L'Academie de Cuisine graduate, Carla Hall was a contestant on Season 5 of “Top Chef” New York She was a fan favorite and prepared a series of classic dishes that carried her through the stiff competition to make it to the Final 3. Since her appearance on Top Chef, Carla has been in demand for television appearances, and charitable fundraising events

Carla, a native of Nashville , TN , is the chef and owner of Alchemy Caterers in Washington , D.C. She is a graduate of Howard University 's Business School with a degree in Accounting.  After spending two years at Price Waterhouse and acquiring a C.P.A. certificate, she shifted gears and moved overseas to seek the runway lights as a model in Paris , Milan , and London .  During her time in Europe , Carla quickly fell in love with the art of food.  She returned to the US and completed her culinary studies in the Professional Culinary Arts Program at L'Academie de Cuisine in 1996. Carla served her externship at the Henley Park Hotel where she was promoted to Sous Chef, and in May 1997 she joined The State Plaza, as Executive Chef.  She then moved to The Washington Club, a private social club, in September 1999, as Director/Executive Chef.

In 2003, Carla left The Washington Club to start her own catering/private chef company – Alchemy Caterers.   At Alchemy, Carla is fiercely determined that they pay attention to where their ingredients come from and celebrate the farms in the Chesapeake Bay area that produce them . She is committed to purchasing fruits/vegetables, meats and poultry from the finest local farmers around. Carla's food balances the heart and soul of the South and the refinement of her classic French training.  She enjoys creating memorable comfort dishes with fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. Carla approaches each event as an opportunity to make a connection with the client and change the way they experience food. She firmly believes “If you're not in a good mood, the only thing you should make is a reservation.”

Carla has taught cooking classes at Sur la Table, L'Academie de Cuisine, and Montgomery College , as well as team building classes at different venues in the DC metropolitan area. In addition to making guest appearances on public television, Carla competed on The Food Network cooking series “FoodFight.”  For the last seven years Carla has split her time between catering and private cheffing in various parts of the country and abroad.  Carla also currently teaches Recreational Cooking Classes at L'Academie de Cuisine. She is an active member of Les Dames d'Escoffier, as well as a former Board member. www.alchemycaterers.com .

Peter Smith, CAP '91

Chef/Owner PS7 Restaurant, Washington , DC

I've been involved with food for as long as I can remember,” says Peter Smith, a 1991 graduate of L'Academie de Cuisine's Professional Culinary Arts Program, and Executive Chef and Owner of PS7 in Washington , DC .

Pete chose L'Academie because of the intensity and short duration of its professional program.  He would come to school during the day and then work at his restaurant job in the evening.  “I worked all through school, I can't remember a time when I wasn't working.”  He completed his externship at The Occidental with well-known chef and restaurateur Jeffrey Buben, before he moved with Buben to Vidalia in 1993. Pete became Executive Chef in early 1998 and worked to propel Vidalia to four-star status during his tenure there through the summer of 2004.

Of his dual role as chef and owner Pete says, “Everyone told me it would be hard…I knew it would be hard, but honestly, no matter how hard you imagine this job might be, multiply that by 3!”  When asked how he runs his kitchen he says with a smile, “Anticipate what can go wrong and stay in front of the problem.  Make lots of lists.  And a little OCD never hurts either. You have to maintain a thick skin in this business, but you also have to remember that it is an honor and a privilege to work in this industry.  Over the past several years Washington , DC has continued to climb among the ranks of the major "food" cities, but there is still progress to be made.  I am committed to working hard to making PS7 a place for all to enjoy and to doing my share to keep DC's restaurants a shining star on the food map.”

Pete regularly hires externs to work at his restaurant on both the line and in the pastry kitchen.  Advice he gives to those externs, “Shut up and listen,” he says with a smile.  On advice he wishes he were given as an extern, “Shut up and listen.”  Pete often returns to L'Academie to give cooking demonstrations to professional students, to serve on the Chefs Roundtable Advisory Team and is the reigning champion, two years running, in L'Academie's annual Chef's Challenge competition. www.ps7restaurant.com .

Janis Mclean – CAP ‘93

Executive Chef, 15 ria Restaurant, Washington , DC

In 1993, Janis left the corporate world, took the leap, ran away to cooking school and has never looked back. She attended the Professional Culinary Arts Program at L'Academie de Cuisine and graduated in 1993. In 2008, Janis became the Executive Chef at 15 ria , a stylish restaurant in Washington , DC . Renowned for her diverse seasonal menus, Chef McLean focuses on locally grown produce and features American cuisine with a Southern Flair at 15 ria ,

During the past 16 years, he has had some amazing mentors, including Anne Willan owner of LaVarenne, a famed cooking school in Burgundy , France and Susan McCreight Lindeborg, former Executive Chef at The Morrison Clark Inn where Janis did her externship and continued to work her way up in the kitchen to become sous chef.  When she spent time with Anne Willan in France , it was an eye opening experience - to go to the market and be able to see and touch and smell and be surrounded by all the gorgeous, stunning produce. “Trying to cook with the seasons is not always easy and it makes an anxious wait for treats to appear. I wait with great anticipation each spring for the first of the fava beans and the asparagus (Just because you can buy asparagus in January, doesn't mean you should!) and then the strawberries. Then come tomatoes and corn - always later than I think they should!“ says Janis.  She traveled to France and consulted for La Varenne for many years before the school closed.

In 2004 Chef Mclean became the Executive Chef of redDog Café in Silver Spring , MD which received rave reviews following its opening. In January of 2007, as an accomplished Chef, Janis' career came full circle as she returned to the Morrison-Clark Inn . As Executive Chef of the Morrison-Clark Restaurant , she served up local, southern-inspired cuisine in an elegant and historical atmosphere.

In addition to her responsibilities as Executive Chef of a busy restaurant, Janis now serves as a regular instructor at L'Academie de Cuisine and at Sur la Table. She has also been a guest speaker at several Smithsonian programs and often performs demonstrations for FRESHFARM Markets and AIWF's Days of Taste program for elementary students. She is an active member of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs and Les Dames d'Escoffier. www.15ria.com .

Jonathan Krinn – CAP ‘93

Executive Chef/Partner - Inox Restaurant, Tysons Corner , VA

  Upon completing his education at Emory University , Chef Krinn attended and graduated from L' Academie de Cuisine's Professional Culinary Arts Program in Gaithersburg , Maryland in 1993.  After completing his training, Krinn moved on to work with Michelin two-starred Chef Gerard Panguad of Gerard's Place Restaurant in Washington D.C.

Having developed a passion for French culinary technique, Chef Krinn headed to France to hone his skills and absorb French culture. His experiences in France took him through work in celebrated Michelin-starred restaurants throughout the country, including the three-starred Le Louis XV in Monte Carlo under Chef Alain Ducasse . After returning from France in 1997, Krinn traveled to New York City to work under some of the highest rated chefs in the country, including Chef Tom Colicchio at Gramercy Tavern, Chef Rocco DiSpirito at Union Pacific and Chef Francois Payard at Payard Patisserie .

Despite his love of the New York restaurant scene, Chef Krinn was ready to begin two new chapters in his life; opening his own restaurant and starting a family.  He moved back to the DC metro area and took the position as Executive Chef at 2941 Restaurant in Falls Church , VA . Chef Krinn's menus received national acclaim and earned several esteemed awards and media recognition. 2941 Restaurant was also where Krinn met future business partner and friend, Jon Mathieson, 2941 Restaurant's Chef de Cuisine.

In February 2009, Chef Mathieson and Chef Krinn welcomed guests to their joint project, Inox restaurant, in Tysons Corner , Virginia .  At Inox Restaurant they are doing it again by providing an innovative modern American menu.

Chef Amy Brandwein – CAP ‘01

Chef de Cuisine – fyve at The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, VA

Recognized as one of the capital region's rising gastronomic stars and exciting culinary talents, Chef Amy Brandwein is at the helm of The Ritz-Carlton's Pentagon City newest restaurant fyve . Chef Brandwein began her professional culinary career in the Professional Culinary Arts Program at L'Academie de Cuisine in 2000. She did her externship as a pastry assistant for Chef Donna's Italian restaurant, Galileo . Her considerable skills, inspiration and dedication were recognized with subsequent promotions to executive sous chef in 2003 and the top slot as Executive Chef in 2005.  Chef Brandwein oversaw the Osteria , the casual dining room, the Galileo Grill and Chef's Laboratorio del Galileo. According to Amy, “ It was a very difficult path, immersing myself wholly in the food and the culture of Italy , but it ultimately defined me as a chef. It was there that I "found my home" in the culinary sense. The passionate, yet simple nature of Italian food really resonated with me.” 

“In 2006, I moved with Chef Donna to open Bebo Trattoria as chef de cuisine. I oversaw all restaurant operations and the daily-changing lunch and dinner menus that focused on farm fresh ingredients, scratch cooking and a host of incomparable specialties. From a culinary perspective, it was really fun to let my hair down a bit and cook rustic food, as I had been cooking fine dining for quite a while. Nonetheless, that experience reminded me that, although trattoria and fine dining are two very different worlds, at the end of the day, it's still all about the food. For me, great cuisine always comes down to two things: the quality and freshness of the ingredients, and clear execution. My style of cooking is to create bold, clean flavors with the best possible product and to let the quality of the ingredients shine through.”

In February 2008, The Ritz- Carlton , Pentagon City recruited Amy as chef de cuisine of fyve Restaurant Lounge . Opening a restaurant, training a new staff, creating and teaching a menu, and learning the ways of an establishment can take a long time, but she and her team were able to turn it around in just four months. Adding to the complexities are the unique challenges of running a hotel restaurant - room service and breakfast - and all of a sudden you have a 24-hour foodservice operation!

At fyve , Amy's focus is to create memorable, fresh food that embraces bold Mediterranean flavors, using locally sourced ingredients. She has a long history of working with local farmers and artisans over the years. The fresh, unique product they cultivate is impeccable and Chef Brandwein believes it is important to stay connected and give back to the local community. She likes knowing the people who are behind the product her restaurant serves to their customers and she likes knowing where it comes from. In the case of fyve , most of the product comes from Virginia , Maryland and Pennsylvania .

Among her numerous awards and honors was being nominated as "Rising Culinary Star" for the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington's 2007 RAMMY Awards . She has also been a featured competitor on Food Network's popular "Iron Chef America" series in a memorable challenge: Chef Donna vs. Chef Morimoto II. Chef Brandwein received the 2000 Volunteer of the Year Award from So Others Might Eat (SOME) and the James Beard Foundation Scholarship. Amy is also a member of the Washington , DC Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier. www.fyverestaurant.com

Shannon Overmiller – CAP '02

Executive Chef – The Majestic, Alexandria , VA

Chef Shannon Overmiller always dreamed of cooking professionally and now after making the climb through several restaurants she is the critically acclaimed chef at The Majestic in Alexandria , VA. The restaurant specializes in a Virginia-fare menu created by Shannon . She is part of a team of women running the fourth restaurant project in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia owned by acclaimed, Chef Cathal Armstrong , of Restaurant Eve .

Chef Overmiller began her professional career as a bartender and waitress at Austin Grill in Washington , DC . Realizing she craved more experience in the kitchen, she then made the shift to Café Atlantico , owned by the renowned Chef Jose Andres, where she worked as a line cook while attending L'Academie de Cuisine 's Professional Culinary Arts Program.  In 2002, she graduated from L'Academie and accepted a position at Ristorante Tosca under the direction of Chef/Owner Cesare Lanfranconi .  At Tosca , she quickly moved up from line cook to pastry chef and then to sous chef. After three years, Chef Lanfranconi called Cathal Armstrong on Chef Overmiller ' s behalf. That call soon brought her to Restaurant Eve , one of the most highly awarded restaurants in the Washington area. Chef Overmiller credits Chef Armstrong for instilling in her a love of and knowledge about the importance of local vendors and sourcing from local farms, along with helping her to hone her technical culinary skills. 

One of the reinvention elements she is most proud to be a part of is The Majestic's monthly crafted "Nana's Sunday Dinner." Initially inspired by Chef Armstrong ' s dinners growing up in Ireland , Shannon has taken them one step further by using the month itself as inspiration. During each month, she creates a menu that reflects the home-style atmosphere and emphasizes the importance of families sitting down to share a meal together. It's a prix-fixe menu featuring dishes like fried chicken and pork roast, along with side dishes and a dessert, all intended to be shared between four friends or a family of four. This ensures regulars of the original Majestic, that its memory and tradition are surely re-inspired in the newest version of an old favorite.

As a 2004 Jean-Louis Palladin Foundation award recipient, Shannon had the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Italy and learn about ingredients and cooking techniques. She has proven herself in many kitchens and now, as the executive chef of The Majestic, she continues to use and expand upon the skills she has developed throughout the years. www.majesticcafe.com

Julie Jangali – Pastry ‘04

Executive Pastry Chef – The Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington , DC

Julie Jangali is a 2004 graduate of L'Academie de Cuisine's professional Pastry Arts Program and has one of the sweetest jobs in the city as the Executive Pastry Chef of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington , DC . She attributes her very fast rise in the pastry field to her supervising chef, Mahon Da Silva, the former pastry chef at The Marriott Wardman Park in Washington , DC . Julie acknowledges that her passion for pastry grew as she gained confidence and skills during her classroom work at L'Academie and her externship at The Marriott Wardman Park.

Chef Da Silva was known for his exquisite work with chocolate and sugar and she knew this was what she wanted to learn. Julie said she cried most every day during her externship and thought every day that she wasn't meant to be in this profession. But she realized that she was growing as a cook and “being scared is normal, it's up to you to set it aside”. And she did. Since graduating from L'Academie de Cuisine, Julie has participated in many pastry competitions on the national and international stage. Her first entry was in the National Pastry Competition and although she didn't win, the next year she entered a competition in London and won the silver medal. She entered Patis France and placed 5th but her cake was given 2nd place. She is looking forward to entering more competitions again if she can get time to practice with all her responsibilities as the pastry chef of a busy hotel. As the person in charge of the pastry department she says she is tough but approachable. She understands the need for organization and discipline in the kitchen and says there can be no egos on the line.

Prior to her position at The Grand Hyatt, Julie was Executive Pastry Chef at The Baltimore Marriott Hotel. With her fast rise to Pastry Chef, Julie was asked if she had any regrets. She answered – yes and no. She would have loved to travel more and work around the world, but then she wouldn't have had the intense training and discipline to become a leader in such a short time. As ready as she is to take on the pastry world her duties are clearly aligned with the goals of her employer. Her biggest challenge? Patience - patience with her staff and especially with herself. Julie's advice to those starting in pastry is to work hard, keep your eyes and ears open and develop a thick skin. www.grandwashington.hyatt.com

Joe Raffa CAP ‘97

Executive Chef – Oyamel , Washington , DC

In 2006, Joe Raffa became the head chef at Oyamel in downtown Washington , DC .  That appointment was the culmination of a journey that started with his graduation from the Professional Culinary Arts Program at L'Academie de Cuisine in 1997.  Before arriving at Oyamel , he enjoyed a five-plus-year tenure at Alexandria 's Majestic Café beginning as sous chef and moving to the position of chef . As chef he oversaw the restaurant's daily operations.

Prior to Majestic Café , Chef Raffa spent time at Oyamel 's sister restaurant in Penn Quarter, Café Atlantico , starting there as a line cook in January of 2000 and becoming sous chef seven months later. He also served as garde manager and line cook at Equinox and as line cook and sous chef at the historic Morrison Clark Inn . One highlight of his career was cooking for Café Atlantico 's dinner at the James Beard House in 2002. He also assisted Patrick O'Connell for Inn at Little Washington's effort for the James Beard Foundation's 99th birthday dinner.

The culinary field is a passion for the chef, and an interesting second career. He previously worked for nine years at the US Government Accountability Office and holds a College of Naval Command and Staff Diploma from the US Naval War College and a B.A. in international affairs from American University ! www.oyamel.com

Virginia Willis – CAP '94

Author, Television Producer and TV Personality

Virginia Willis, a 2004 graduate of L'Academie de Cuisine's Professional Culinary Arts Program is the author of the acclaimed cookbook, Bon Appétit, Y'all! Three Generations of Southern Cooking (Ten Speed Press, 2008). A 1994 graduate of L'Academie de Cuisine's Professional Culinary Arts Program and Ecole de Cuisine LaVarenne , Virginia produced Turner South's Home Plate and the DVD Shirley Corriher's Kitchen Secrets Revealed! Previously she honed her attention to detail as the Kitchen Director for Martha Stewart Living Television where she supervised the food segments for the Emmy-award winning television show. With MSLTV, Virginia was also responsible for preparing private meals and events for Martha and her guests -- including among others, President Clinton, Aretha Franklin, and Julia Child. As Executive Producer for Epicurious on The Discovery Channel, she traveled the world taping fantastic stories about food - from harvesting capers in the shadow of a smoldering volcano to making authentic mustard in Dijon .

She is a featured chef in Atlanta Cooks at Home , tester and editor for The All-New Joy of Cooking , author of Pasta Dinners 1,2,3 , co-author of Home Plate Cooking , and weekly writer for The Atlanta Journal Constitution . Her work has also appeared in Country Living , Family Fun , and Edible Atlanta .

She has appeared on Real Simple Television, Martha Stewart Living Television, Home Plate, and in TV commercials for Duke's Mayonnaise and Springer Mountain Farms All-Natural Chicken. As a nationally recognized culinary professional her client list includes The Atlanta Bread Company, Char-Broil, The Coca Cola Company, Denny's, Disney World, Fresh Express, Logan's Roadhouse, LongHorn Steakhouse, TGI Friday's, Olive Garden, Ruby Tuesday, Texas Dairy Queen, Texas Roadhouse, Waffle House, Whole Foods Market, and WingZone. Virginia will also be teaching at L'Academie de Cuisine in Fall 2009.

Virginia is a president of the Atlanta chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier, a member of The Atlanta Community Food Bank Advisory Board, Georgia Organics, the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Southern Foodways Alliance, and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. www.virginiawillis.com .

Neil Wilson – CAP '04

Personal Chef and Cooking Instructor

Neil Wilson, a 2004 graduate of L'Academie's Professional Culinary Arts Program, always had a passion for cooking. He is currently a Personal Chef after completing his externship and working at the James Beard Award winning Palena restaurant in Washington , DC . Neil's culinary education began when he was a young boy. His mother married a farmer, and Neil learned to make fresh bread, sausage and fresh pasta. In high school, Neil was the primary cook for family dinners and this continued to fuel his love of cooking.

But Neil did not immediately go into the culinary field. He chose the “safe” path of joining the U.S. Army and spent 20 years in tactical combat units finishing up his Army career with 2 years at the Pentagon. As he prepared to leave the Army, Neil knew he wanted to cook and wanted a structured, classic European curriculum. Since he already had a Bachelors Degree and a Masters Degree, he chose L'Academie de Cuisine's Professional Culinary Arts Program and graduated in 2004. “From what I know of other schools, I learned more in the 6 months I spent in the classroom than most other students learned in the first two years they were at school” said Neil.

Neil began his externship at the highly acclaimed Palena Restaurant in Washington , DC under the direction of Chef Frank Ruta. He found that what he learned at school was reinforced daily at Palena. Here, he learned how to deal with stress more so than in the Army. His organizational skills improved immensely and he loved his experience. After two years, he left Palena to spend more time with his wife and to open his own Personal Chef business – Neil Fletcher Wilson, Personal Chef Service .

Neil is currently a busy personal chef working at least 4 days a week. He thinks he has the perfect job and says he often uses the skills he was taught at L'Academie. “Actually this is a very rewarding career. When I heard others talk about it I thought I would have to give up what I learned in school. I get to do everything I learned in school and my clients are very appreciative.” One of the most important parts of this job is balancing the importance of each client “You can have powerful, important clients and single parents, retired people, etc., and you want to keep them all in balance and keep a viewpoint that everyone is important. “

Neil recently received his Certified Personal Chef accreditation through the United States Personal Chef Association. “I get to meet all types of people in all different settings” says Neil. As a personal chef, the main job everyone thinks about is going into people's homes and cooking a week's worth of meals. In addition to his home clients, he teaches recreational cooking classes at L'Academie and he gives private cooking lessons, does Corporate Team Building workshops, Private Parties for 2 to 150, and Medical Recovery (if someone breaks a hip, Neil will cook meals for a week over the course of the recovery).

He thinks the hardest part of this job in the beginning was developing a payment structure. “You get so excited when someone wants to hire you that you can tend to underestimate what a fair price is. Now if I think the price is too low, I turn it down – after educating the person, of course.”

Harriet Siew CAP ‘99

Culinary Producer, Food Network TV, New York , NY

With a degree in Philosophy from Boston University , Harriet Siew began her professional life in the banking industry.  After several years traveling overseas, she came to Washington , DC in 1995.  Upon arriving she began contemplating her next steps.  Would it be law school or business school?  “I had never thought of the culinary arts as a career,” she says, but realizing she spent most of her spare time in the kitchen, the choice was obvious.  Harriet enrolled at L'Academie and completed her externship with Chef Brian McBride at the Park Hyatt.  She graduated from L'Academie's Culinary Arts Program in 1999 and had two revelations.  First, she loved the industry and working with people who loved food.  Second, she didn't want to be a chef.  

Staying true to her revelations, Harriet went to work for M. Young Communications , a PR/Special Events firm located in Manhattan .  Her clients included Bon Appetit Magazine and the James Beard Foundation .  After September 11, 2001 she went to work for the 9/11 fund, Windows of Hope, a non-profit organization that raised funds for the families of foodservice workers lost at the World Trade Center .   After a year, Harriet heard that a food-related television network was in need of some behind-the-scenes culinary expertise.