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About Me

Chef Drake:

Growing up in Atlanta, GA, my love for cooking was ignited when I saw first-hand how food brought people together. No matter what was happening in my family’s lives, we would try to make it to my grandparents’ house weekly for Sunday dinner. Having my grandad teach me to fish and grill at a young age really inspired me to get into cooking. From those moments, I knew what I wanted to make of my career.  

While in Culinary School at The Art Institute of Atlanta®, my then Pastry Chef Instructor, Bill Lipscomb nicknamed me “Hollywood”, because I only put his first name on documents. I took this and ran with it because it always became a talking point when meeting people. During this time, I worked for two catering companies while focusing on school. Upon graduating, I went on to work for The Ritz-Carlton®, Atlanta. Following my stint with the luxury hotel chain, an opportunity became available to work on board a cruise ship in Hawaii. I quickly packed my bags to start my adventure at Norwegian Cruise Line®. This was my first taste of travel and cooking combined.   

After traveling the world as a seagoing chef, I moved back to Georgia to begin working with Bold American Catering. While gaining both management experience and confidence as the Executive Spa Chef at the world-renowned Chateau Élan Winery & Resort, I began offering private chef experiences, which helped me realize that I truly enjoyed the freedom and creativity that came with it. From flying to Colorado to cook for the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships to relocating to different states to grasp new perspectives on food, I gladly accept any opportunity that comes my way to further develop my skills.

Most recently, I worked on board Holland America Line as an America’s Test Kitchen® Host. This position was one of my greatest endeavors, as I have high regard for the America’s Test Kitchen® brand, and have watched and learned from their programming for years. In this capacity, I have had the pleasure of traveling to over 50 countries in a 3-year period, all while teaching guests from around the world and every walk of life the joys and science of cooking. This opportunity not only allowed me to teach countless cultures cooking techniques that I have mastered, but to also learn from the many individuals that I have been fortunate enough to encounter.

I currently reside in the Atlanta area where I have the privilege of working solely as a Personal Chef. I am proud to offer a wide array of services, such as: Private dinners for two, Business Lunches, Brunches, Cabin Getaways, and even Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties. With a menu designed to your personal preferences and needs, you are guaranteed to have a culinary experience that stands above the rest. 

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