Antonio Moore
Contributor - Conscious Chef |
“The Conscious Chef”
Known as the “Conscious Chef” Antonio Moore uses an improvisational approach to creative cooking with a heavy accent on simplicity. With over thirteen years under his toque, Antonio has perfected the art of preparing healthy foods with exceptional flavor.
Diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1999, cooking with a conscience became his motto, but also a testament to a life changing decision to eat smart and live smart. Being overweight did not bother me; I had the best excuse in the world. "The fatter the chef the better the food,"
Antonio has held executive chef positions at some of Michigan’s finest dining concepts. Chef Antonio’s mission is to enlighten and educate everyone about simple healthy cooking. |
Darlene Smith
Contributor |
Darlene Smith started cooking at Breithaupt Vocational School in Detroit where she won a State Gold Medal and a National Medal in Culinary Arts. These opportunities earn her a scholarship to Schoolcraft College, which helped her land her very first Professional Job as an Executive Pasty Chief at Big Fish Restaurant.
Darlene has studied with some of the best Master Chef’s in the world such as Master Executive Pastry Chef Joseph Decker, Master Executive Chef Kevin Garovski and Chef Paul Prudhomme. Darlene has been awarded five Gold Medals from numerous food show competitions, five Gold Medals from the Michigan Restaurant Association, and National Medal for third place in the National VICA Culinary Olympics. With these honors and skills Darlene has worked at some of the finest hotel and restaurant establishment as Executive Pastry Chef for Omni Hotel, Anthnum Hotel and Conference Center, Seldom Blues, OPUS One, Sweet Georgia Brown, Chuck Muer’s Big Fish and Sweet Loraine’s Café.
She has catered and prepared many special desserts and private dinners for some of the worlds most famous Celebrities and Professional Businessmen such as Sidney Poitier, Nicholas Cage, Marvin L.Winans, Lem Barney, Melvin Washington, Robert Porcher, Aretha Franklin, Chante Moore, the late Mayor Coleman A Young and Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to name a few.
As a Personal Chef, TV Cooking Show Chef, Hospitality Consultant and Caterer of her own company Smith Enterprise, which is known for its Professional Service, Quality Products and Excellent Customer Service. Darlene has over seventeen years of experience in the hospitality business and has worked in every area of the business that has given her 360-degree scope of the hospitality industry.
While working as a personal chef and caterer Darlene is currently writing a cookbook and holding a seat on the advisory board at Breithaupt Vocational School and active member of the Michigan Restaurant Association.
Darlene can be reached at oppiesweets@yahoo.com. |
