Chef Adam Roy's hospitality career humbly began at small restaurants in his suburban Chicago hometown, progressing to an Associate's Degree in Culinary Arts from Joliet Junior College.
This ignited his international journey, starting with a personal chef role on a private yacht in the Mediterranean Sea. A pivotal year as a US exchange student in Germany, including work at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hamburg, fueled his passion for global hospitality. He then gained experience in Switzerland and on Holland America cruise lines, launching a specialty restaurant and sailing the world.
Driven by a thirst for diverse cuisines, Chef Adam explored Southeast Asia, studying in Singapore and contributing to the Novotel Bangkok's revamp. He then spent a decade with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in Oman, Malaysia, and China.
In 2017, he shifted to education, teaching at Woosong University in South Korea. After completing his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Florida International University, he taught at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and then transitioned to this endowed position at Michigan State University in fall of 2023.
Chef Adam is also a Certified Executive Chef (CEC), Certified Culinary
Educator (CCE), and a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE). He is passionate about continuing education and proud of his global management experiences.
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 one of twenty chefs that were selected to attend the culinary enrichment and innovation program at the Culinary Institute of America's 3 campuses from April 2025 to April 2026.
