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Joe Abuso founded Abuso Catering Co. in 1994 and grew it into one of Houston's most successful and respected high-end catering companies. He sold it in January of 2007 and is now consulting nationally to restaurants and hotels. Prior to starting Abuso Catering, he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, received a M.M. from Rice University, became a Certified Sommelier and cooked at the Mansion on Turtle Creek.
Chef Carroll is the executive chef of the River Oaks Country Club.
He was the executive chef at Oak Hill Country Club for 4 years and the Executive Chef for the Balsams Grand Resort Hotel for 13 years. Chef Carroll is a 1985 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and served as a Coach for the 2004 United States Culinary Olympic Team.
Chef Carroll has received over sixty national and international awards and was nominated twice for ACF regional chef of the year. The James Beard foundation selected Charles as one of the Great Country Inn Chefs of 1993. He was awarded educator of the year by the ACFEI in 1993. In 2000 he was inducted into the World Master Chefs Association and in 2001 he was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs. Chef Carroll has been guest speaker at several ACF Regional and National Conventions and well as Colleges and Universities.
Chef Randy Fournier is the Food and Beverage Manager of the Amerada Hess Corporation In Houston.
He is also the President of the Food and Beverage Managers Association, a professional charitable organization, which raises money for scholarships for culinary students of merit.
Randy is a Culinary Institute of America graduate
Austrian born, Chef Fritz Gitschner is the executive chef of the Houston Country Club.
He also held the Executive Chef’s position at several five star hotels and resorts around the world including the Golden Tulip Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino, Marriott’s Riyadh Hotel, Riyadh Saudi Arabia and the Restaurant Admiral Tegetthoff in Vienna, Austria.
Chef Gitschner is a Certified Master Chef (CMC) one of only 55 to have successfully completed the Master Chef’s Examination, the most rigorous culinary testing a professional chef can obtain. He is committed to training young chefs, based on over thirty years of experience in the culinary field.
Manfred grew up in Koblenz, Germany, where he trained and then worked as a pastry chef at some of Europe’s finest luxury resorts and hotels in Switzerland and Germany before coming to Houston, Texas in 1963. Jachmich received a degree in economics and management from Houston Baptist University. In 1972, Jachmich opened his first restaurant, Ruggles Grill, and later Café Moustache, Post Oak Grill, River Oaks Grill, Remington’s, and Redwood Grill among others.
In 1985, Jachmich founded Chelsea Catering which was appointed to become the catering arm of Continental Airlines first in Houston and Denver and then to Washington, D.C., Newark, New Jersey and LaGuardia, New York. During Jachmich’s tenure, Chelsea Catering increased revenues from $15 million to $32 million and was recognized with industry awards for food quality. Jachmich now operates the Chianti’s Tuscan Grill restaurant and is recognized as one of Houston’s great restaurateurs, continuing to innovate and create new concepts in dining and hospitality today.
Sofia Petrou holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Education and a Master’s Degree from the University of Alabama. She also has a Mid-management degree for Administration in Education from St. Thomas University.
Author of the book: The History of the Greeks in Birmingham, Alabama
Administrator of the School Within A School Program at Northbrook High School, which was the subject of an hour long documentary, Escape From Failure, on Channel 8’s public television.
Principal of Memorial Middle School from 1998 – 2003 which received national and state recognition for being an Exemplary School
Sofia Petrou is the Executive Director of Secondary Services, supervising all middle and high schools in Spring Branch Independent School District.
Claire Smith is Proprietor and Co-Executive Chef. of Shade restaurant in Houston, Texas. From 2000-2003, she was moving around the country, Houston, TX., Chicago, IL, and Stamford, CT, managing an operation of a small catering and events business. From 1994-2000 she was the Proprietor and Executive Chef. of Daily Review Café in Houston. From 1988 to 1993, Claire Smith worked at various restaurants around the US as Chef and Sous-Chef. Claire holds a degree from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, CA, graduating Valedictorian of her class of 110 students. Claire also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art and in Art History from Rice University, Houston, Texas.
Marian is the 2007-2008 President of Les Dames d’Escoffier Houston. She has over 30 years experience in Catering, Baking, French Cuisine and Restaurant Management.
