At a young age in his south suburban Chicago hometown, Chef Adam started his career as a dishwasher. Working in restaurants led him to earn his associates degree in Culinary Arts at Joliet Junior College nearby. Learning more about options the hospitality industry offered, he soon began his overseas adventures.
He started his climb as a private cook on a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean Sea that sailed through Greece, France, Italy, and Spain. After a stint as a sous chef for Hollywood Casino, he was accepted as an official US exchange student to Germany. He spent a year overseas training in German language, culture, hospitality, food, and beverage. He worked at the famous Four Seasons hotel in Hamburg. Falling in love with Europe and its adventures, he spent another year working in the Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland.
Gaining a larger appetite to learn and grow professionally, he was on the first team to open a new specialty restaurant with Holland America cruise line traveling the world. Having a strong desire to continue learning about cuisines and culture, he was accepted to study in Singapore learning about everything Southeast Asian while working at the Tung Lok restaurant group.
He then helped to revamp the 4 star Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square for 2 years and then moved to a private resort in Pattaya. In 2007, after 3 years in Thailand, Chef Adam moved to the Oman in Middle East to work with the famous Asia based Shangri-la Hotels and Resorts. Within that group, he transferred to Malaysia and then to China working with Shangri-la for 10 years.
Chef Adam started his educational aspirations in South Korea early 2017 teaching at Woosong University's international culinary management program. In 2021, after earning his bachelor's and executive master's degree (MS) in hospitality management from Florida International University, he started teaching at the University of Wisconsin Stout as an academic staff in the School of Hospitality Leadership.
In 2023, he was honored with the endowed position here at MSU in the School of Hospitality Business.
Parallel pathways such as learning and working side-by-side is a passion from this former hotelier. Having management positions all over the world has fine tuned his leadership skills over his decades long industry career. Entrepreneurship and managing operational systems are skill sets that he passionately passes onto his students. He feels financial acumen, problem solving, and paying attention to details are amongst the most important skills to develop while managing hospitality businesses.
Chef Adam is also a Certified Executive Chef (CEC), Certified Culinary Educator (CCE), and a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE).
Countries where Chef Adam has lived and worked
Germany, Switzerland, Singapore, Thailand, Sultanate of Oman, Malaysia, China, South Korea
He has traveled to over 80 countries.
Chef Adam loves to learn about languages, cuisines, and cultures. He also enjoys sharing stories about his past journeys.
He speaks German, Thai, Mandarin-Chinese, and working Spanish.
He is an avid home brewer and continues to learn about fermentation of food and alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages.
He is currently studying to be a Certified Cicerone which will enhance his knowledge of beer history, traditions, styles, and the industry around this popular beverage.
