Chef Paul learned from his Mediterranean background to harvest what the sea and land had to offer.  His exposure to food and cooking and his aspirations to become a chef began at a very early age, his summers having been spent fishing and harvesting vegetables from the family garden and riding in the back seat of his mother’s or grandmother’s car, while they drove from dairy to local butcher to produce market, finding and filling their car with their bounty. He would then watch as his grandmother and mother turned their finds into a feast for the family. Cooking played an important role in growing up in his Mediterranean family and finding the right ingredients was always a vigilant quest.

In the early days of commercial passenger aviation in America, when the romantic vision of air travel included the notion of ‘dining’ in the sky, Paul’s grandfather founded one of the first companies to cater to the airlines needs, becoming one of the vanguards in the airline catering industry.  It was while tagging along with his grandfather as he conducted his business that Paul learned the ethics of hard work and the value of providing a quality product to your customer.

Graduating, with honors, from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York, in 1993, he interned at the famous Grove Park Inn, Asheville, North Carolina. During his career, Paul has held several notable positions: Sous Chef at the Inn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, Tennessee (a Relais Chateaux property); Executive Chef/Food Service Director for Earth Fare natural food supermarkets, Asheville, North Carolina; Executive Chef at the Highland Lake Inn, Hendersonville, North Carolina; and Chef de Cuisine at the Blue Gardenia, Safety Harbor Florida.  And in 1996, he was given the honor of cooking at the James Beard House in New York City.