I’m Gustavo Vega, the West Culinary Director.

I live in Pasadena, California.

My favorite thing about being a chef is getting to transform any product from Mother Earth into a beautiful dish.

The best food tip I can give is while making cinnamon rolls, cut them with a piece of string.

Vocabulary pasta is my favorite pasta shape.

If I could only eat one dessert for the rest of my life, I’d choose profiteroles because it’s the only dough you cook twice and fill them with anything - ice cream, cream Chantilly, caramel. And the highlight? You dust them with powdered sugar or cocoa.

Pastries are my guilty pleasure.

Fresh thyme is my favorite ingredient.

I can’t live without my custom made chef knife.

When I’m not teaching, I’m teaching youngsters how to embrace the culinary world.

The highlight of my career is getting to be a chef and travel the world. I was nominated chef of the year for Sodexo North America and I was in pastry competitions in Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and Austria.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an Air Force pilot. 

My first food memory is my mom’s homemade tortillas.