Faculty & Staff

One of the primary strengths of our program's are in the experience and dedication of our outstanding faculty. All of our faculty and chef instructors are experts in their field, and have years of both industry and teaching experience. Our chef instructors have run restaurant, hotel and resort kitchens in the United States, Europe and Asia, and have owned their own restaurants. The diversity of our chef instructor's experiences, give students access to a wealth information and viewpoints from all over the world.

Regis Bernard

A native of France, Pastry Chef Bernard's career began at age 14 when he began a three-year apprenticeship in a well-known Parisian pastry shop. He earned his first diploma at age 17, then worked in Europe (Belgium and Switzerland) for 4 years. After returning to France, Regis earned his Pastry Master degree at age 22. In 1983, he came to the United States and began an eight year career for the Four Seasons Hotels. During these years, he was fortunate to work with some of our country's best chefs, including Lee Bailey, Jacques Pepin and Burt Wolf. Regis has won awards in culinary competitions around the country, including the Houston Culinary Show and the Escoffier award; his specialties are chocolate, showpieces and contemporary plated desserts. Chef Bernard teaches courses for the Specialty Desserts & Breads program.

Gillian Baumann

Ms Baumann hails originally from Country Antrim, in the northeast of Ireland. She left Ireland upon graduating from the University of Ulster with a Batchelor of Arts with honors, in Hotel, Catering and Institutional Management, and with a Diploma in Restaurant Industry Studies. Her professional training took her from huge restaurants in London to four and five star hotels in Germany and Switzerland. Gillian worked both back of house specializing in both the Patisserie and Garde Manger stations and front of house, gaining valuable experience as a Commis de Rang. After working in Baden Baden, Germany, Gillian immigrated to the States, working initially at hotels and resorts in Florida. Gillian spent her first five years in Seattle working for the Kimpton Group. She started at Sazerac, then transferred to the Painted Table, where she worked as a Maitre D' and then onto Tulio Risorante first as Assistant Manager and later as Director of Private Dining. She returned to the Painted Table, as General Manager and had the privilege of being there when it reconcepted to be the Library Bistro. Currently, she is the General Manager of Stimson-Green Mansion Catering Company, a historical event facility in Seattle's First Hill neighborhood. She loves to share all of her workplace experiences during class, giving the students a realistic insight into the food and beverage industry. Gillian continued her further education by becoming a Certified Food and Beverage Executive awarded through the American Motel and Hotel Association and she is also a member of the British Hotel, Catering and Institutional Managers' Association.

Linda Pal Chauncey

Chauncey is Associate Dean of the Seattle Culinary Academy widely-recognized for its tradition of outstanding culinary arts education and accredited by the American Culinary Federation Educational Institute. Since its inception nearly 60 years ago, more than 5,000 students have received their culinary education at the academy.

A 20 year veteran of the wine industry, she served as Director of Wine Education for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, the leading wine producer in Washington State with wineries in California, and joint venture partnerships with wineries in Italy and Germany.

Graduating from the University of Washington with degrees in Architecture and Building Construction, she gravitated to wine as a result of her interest in food and foreign cultures. "Without question, growing up in a European home influenced my career path."

She is an active member of several professional and civic organizations, including the Society of Wine Educators and Les Dames d'Escoffier International. For three years, she was a director on the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Northwest Industry Partnership Board and recently resigned from her 6 year tenure on the Board of Governors for the Washington Athletic Club. Her passions include winemaking and humanitarian travel that promotes understanding between cultures and people. She is an advocate for the Washington wine industry, the environment, and for political involvement.

Diana Dillard

Chef Diana Dillard graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1985. Her chef experience includes positions as Executive Sous Chef for the Club Corporation of America in Miami, Chef Tournant at Fuller's in the Seattle Sheraton and Co-Owner/Chef of the Rain City Grill in Seattle. While she owned and operated Rain City Grill, the restaurant was voted 2'nd best by Pacific Northwest readers and earned 3 ½ stars from the Seattle Post Intelligencer. Diana also participated in the first ever chef's exchange with the former Soviet Union, during which she prepared meals for U.S. and Soviet ambassadors.

In 2001 Diana co-authored "Entertaining Simply" with Chateau Ste. Michelle Culinary Director John Sarich.

An active member of Les Dames d'Escoffier and many charitable organizations, Diana believes strongly in giving back to the community. She is deeply committed to local, seasonal products and being a part of establishing a sustainable food future. ChefDiana teaches our third quarter Culinary Arts program classes. She was selected for the District "Lifelong Learning Award" after just five years of teaching.

Tom Dillard

Mr. Dillard graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1984 and in 1986 from Florida International University with a Bachelor's degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management. He has worked in the foodservice business for over 20 years not only in the kitchen, but in a management capacity as well. Since moving to Seattle in 1987, he has owned and operated four separate foodservice operations including the Rain City Grill, which received awards for food and service. In 1997, he developed and implemented a curriculum for the Workfirst Culinary Arts Program, which has become a very successful re-training program. Most recently, aside form teaching dining room management, has been a consultant to the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train in the areas of menu development and kitchen design. Tom teaches the dining room and pastry case service classes, as well as food costing, purchasing & inventory, and computerized menu planning.

Joy Gulmon-Huri

She began her career with Seattle Central Community College over 30 years ago, working in many departments including Special Programs, Public Information, Foundation Office and Vocational Education. As program manager for the Seattle Culinary Academy , Joy manages the office and oversees department operations. Her extensive knowledge of college procedures, excellent people skills and consistent attention to detail make her an invaluable asset to the program. This combined with her student-centered attitude ensures that students get the help they need to succeed.

Working with the faculty and Technical Advisory Committee, Joy helped organize, promote and staff a fund raising event, which has grown over the years into the annual "Harvest Dinner." From its humble beginnings, the Harvest Dinner has grown into a much anticipated annual event for members of the community and contributes thousands of dollars to the college.

Joy is also a generous volunteer who donates countless hours to many charitable organizations. Joy has served as a board member for "Taste of the Nation/Share Our Strength" and is a past board member and past President of the Seattle Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier, a prestigious international organization of professional women in culinary related fields. She is also a member of CHRIE and the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation.

Ms. Gulmon-Huri holds an AA degree from Seattle Central (math & science emphasis) and has continued her education with coursework in management and culinary arts.

Shannon Herman

Shannon Herman has been a chef, caterer, food and wine instructor, and a lover of all things culinary for more than 20 years. Chef Shannon graduated from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco in 1991 and studied in Copenhagen, Denmark. She has worked as a chef in numerous restaurants, wine, and catering companies in the Northwest and the San Francisco Bay Area such as Lark Creek Inn, Wente Brothers Winery , Yarrow Bay Grill and Lisa Dupar Catering as well as owning her own catering company for over 9 years. Chef Shannon has taught classes all around the northwest including PCC, Whole Foods, and Blue Ribbon. Currently, she is a full time chef instructor at the Seattle Culinary Academy.

Her passion is to create and teach memorable dining experiences using flavors, colors, and imagination while exploring culture and cuisine using local and seasonal ingredients.

Kären Jurgensen

Kären Jurgensen brings 26 years of Restaurant experience to Seattle Culinary Academy. She most recently held the position of Executive Chef at Baci Catering and Café where she managed events that range from sit-down dinners for 600 to events that feed 5000, or as few as ten. Kären has a strong background in teaching culinary arts, having taught hands on and demo style classes for 5 years. She is currently the Chef Instructor at Quillisascut Cheese Company's Farm School , teaching professional chefs, culinary students and agricultural professionals, farm to table practices and philosophy. Her commitment to a local family farm system is unparalleled:

"As a chef, I want access to flavor that only comes from just picked freshness; I want diversity of products to choose from (2980 varieties of tomatoes) and create with; and finally economics -if my local farmers prosper, my community prospers, then so do I. It is in the interest of our profession that chefs and restaurateurs support this family farm system. Our fates are linked."

In addition, Kären is part-owner of a restaurant consulting company called SEED. Her role is menu development and sound kitchen management with a focus on sustainable food system practices. In 2001, Kären restarted the Seattle Chapter of Chef's Collaborative (known locally as FORKS), she currently serves as president of the local chapter.

Kären is active in the food community, sitting on the WSDA small farm and direct marketing advisory board. She is an advisory board member for the regional Food Policy Council, a member of Slow Food, and a member and mentor of Women Chef's and Restaurateurs. She speaks regularly at restaurant, seafood and agriculture functions. Kären has been the recipient of many culinary awards and accolades, and has earned a reputation for creating cuisine that is both artistic and delicious. She is the co-author of Rethinking the Kitchen, the sustainable kitchen handbook.

James Martin

Chef James Martin is a former student and graduate of the Seattle Culinary Academy. While attending school he began work at one of Seattle's top French P[226](â)tisseries. There he honed his skills and gained rave reviews from customers for his cake creations and imaginative d[233](é)cor. Early in 2005, James moved to Chicago in order to explore new trends and flavors. While working at the Peninsula Hotel, he was introduced to Asian pastries and was able to experience new flavor combinations and production methods. James then became the Pastry Chef at one of Chicago's newest Mediterranean restaurants, Copperblue, where he and the restaurant received praise from multiple publications and a coveted 3-star rating. Here, he gained an appreciation for North African spices and herbs, which he incorporated into his pastries. He began to focus on Spanish pastry and cuisine, and while using his French training, worked to combine the ingredients and techniques from both disciplines.

Chef James is happy to be back in Seattle and enjoys the opportunity to share what he has learned with students in the Specialty Desserts and Breads programs.

Keijiro Miyata

A native of Japan, Chef Miyata is an honors graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has been a culinary arts instructor since 1981. KG is most famous for his ice carving expertise, and was ranked 2nd in the world after winning numerous competitions in the United States, Canada and Japan. His chef experience includes positions as executive chef at the Mill Creek Country Club and at the Holiday Inn in Washington, and chef at the Rye Town Hilton Hotel and Sagano Japanese Restaurant in New York. In addition to his ice carving awards, KG has won numerous gold medals in culinary competitions, including 1st place at the Washington State Seafood Festival. He specializes in gourmet and international cuisine instruction. A chef instructor since 1981.

Don Reed

Pastry Chef Reed brings freshness and enthusiasm to his instruction. After graduating from the University of Montana with a B.A. in 1981 (where he studied arts and education), Don began his baking career. In 1985, he graduated from SSCC's Pastry and Specialty Baking program, and immediately put his skills to work. Don's industry experience concentrates on fine desserts and pastries, and includes work in both pastry shops (including Au Gavroche and the European Pastry Café) and in hotels and lodges. From 1988 to 1991, he was employed as pastry chef at The Salish Lodge, where he originated the pastry department and created renowned, elegant regional desserts. Don worked at Fuller's in the Seattle Sheraton. His specialties are imaginative plated desserts, specialty breads, and centerpieces, and he teaches courses for both the Culinary Arts and the Specialty Desserts & Breads programs.

Scott Samuel

Scott Samuel, formerly the Sous Chef at The Herbfarm, and now working as Chef Instructor for Fine Dining at Seattle Culinary Academy, has been in the restaurant industry for over 20 years. He was the original Chef for Brie & Bordeaux, a combination wine & cheese shop as well as an open-kitchen, 30-seat bistro, which opened in April 1996 in Wallingford, Seattle. The menus at Brie & Bordeaux were small but innovative, focused on the best of the season. Scott's menus reflect a commitment to local farmers and seasonal harvests. His style combines the Northwest bounty, classic French technique and an adventurous spirit. In the fall of 1998, Scott was a nominated by the James Beard Foundation as "Rising Chef of the Year".

 A graduate of Washington State University's Hotel/Restaurant Administration Program, Scott's intention to become a chef began as a teenager. His experience includes an apprenticeship in 1991 at Gerard's Relais de Lyon in Seattle , under Chef Christophe DeGouix. Other employment includes catering and working in the bistro at The Ruins, a private dining club; Café Juanita working as Sous Chef and catering various events; and working as a Private Chef on yacht touring southeast Alaska.

In August of 1998, Scott completed a six-week apprenticeship at The French Laundry in Napa Valley with Chef Thomas Keller. Scott was drawn by Keller's vision and insistence on perfection and returned to Brie & Bordeaux reinvigorated and inspired. Scott left Brie & Bordeaux in 1999 to fulfill a Chef position at Gerard's Restaurant on Maui. He returned to Seattle in 2000 to help open Waterfront Seafood Grill as Executive Sous Chef then a year later, accepted the position as Sous Chef at The Herbfarm and helped re-open this renowned restaurant in Woodinville , Washington. Scott has also been teaching cooking classes in the Seattle area for the past ten years and focuses on creating seasonal menus that are simple but elegant. Scott now divides his time between teaching at Seattle Culinary Academy and Simply Brilliant, his company that specializes in hands-on Private Cooking Classes in clients homes.

Gregg Shiosaki

Gregg Shiosaki has been a food services professional since 1976. He was chef in a fine dining environment at two of Seattle's premier corporate executive dining rooms, and in two of Arnie's and Ram Corporation's high-volume, seafood-specializing restaurants. He has also provided consulting services for local Asian community-assisted living facilities, several media production companies, and additional restaurants. Chef Shiosaki earned two gold and two bronze medals in prestigious American Culinary Federation hot food competitions, and won first place in the 1998 Northwest Soup and Sauce Championship.

Chef Shiosaki volunteers his skills for community service fund-raising events, and also teaches culinary classes to K-12 students. Recently, he developed and supervised a "Chef and Child" sponsored program that brought college culinary students to teach cooking classes for at-risk middle school children. He also developed and taught a series of classes for high school students on "How to Compete in a Culinary Competition."

He has been a chef instructor since 1991, and has taught in all three of Seattle Community College's culinary arts programs. During this time Chef Shiosaki has received the President's Award and the Dan Evans Chair Award for Exceptional Faculty. He currently teaches first quarter theory and practicum as well as the Buffet Catering & Garde Mange class.

Cynthia Wilson

Ms. Wilson obtained a B.S. in Foods & Nutrition from Oregon State University and then completed a general dietetic internship at Rush-Presbyterian St.Luke's Medical Center. Later, she obtained a M.S. in Nutrition from the University of Washington. Cynthia brings work experiences from health care, medical research, hotel catering, club management and adventure travel to the department, including a year on an expedition ship to Antarctica, Africa and the Amazon. In addition to the above teaching assignments, she also team-teaches our Culinary Arts management class and consults for restaurants who wish to provide nutritional information on their menus. Cynthia's specialty is applying nutritional principles to how one eats. Cynthia teaches classes in nutrition, sanitation, resume writing and interviewing, and communication.