Get to Know Chef Tony

Born and raised in Southern Virginia, Chef Tony found the highlights of his life in the kitchen next to his mother. Growing from the roots of the southern iron skillet, Chef Tony has found his passion in combining the flavors of the south and plant based recipes. “I didn’t grow up in an ideal situation. I’m from the Camp Grove neighborhood of Danville, Va . I have sold drugs, been locked up, and done numerous things I’m not proud of; but I always knew it was more to life,” Chef Tony shares.

As a chef, he is known for his farm-to-table approach to cooking. Chef Tony focuses on using fresh and high quality ingredients. He says that “the quality just tastes different and you can simply use salt, pepper and fresh herbs and turn a regular dish to an outstanding one.”

Since becoming a chef, he has seen so many more doors and opportunities become available to him. His culinary skills have given him the chance to travel and learn even more about food. 

“You will never stop learning about food. Once you stop learning and studying, your growth will become stagnant. Most of your clients will look at you as the expert on food, so you have to give them an experience based on your culinary knowledge and creativity.”

His career is derived from a decade of work as a Culinary Specialist for the U.S. Navy, ranking in the top 1% of Military chefs. He has worked for the top generals of the military, winning multiple awards. His 3 year training in Japan influences his cultivative flavor combinations found in many of his recipes. His travels throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America lend a hand to his continued development and matured dialect for the mastery of cooking.

Chef Tony has never let his rough upbringing hold him back. “I always knew there was more to life. And I defied the outcome of the stereotype of a young black man from the hood,” he says. He broke the cycle by pursuing his love and passion for cooking.