I grew up on a remote farm and was taught the importance of self sustenance and the relationship between congestions to the earth and our food. Eventually my love for food became my chosen profession. I enrolled in the culinary arts program at Florida Culinary Institute and finished both the culinary arts and the international baking and pastry program. I then moved to Gainesville and got a job as the sous chef at the University of Florida Hotel under Ivy Award winner Michael McBride. Influenced heavily by Charlie Trotter, I moved Midwest and earned a coveted internship with Chef Trotter. After some time working in and visiting some of the best restaurants around the globe, I spent the next few years working in hotel establishments. Eventually an opportunity landed me in Honolulu (where I met Sway).

From Sway: Having Damian on our team has been a blessing. I say that he’s “the guy that hangs around” because he’s the first person I would go to for industry consultations and odd jobs in the kitchen.