Randy is a 2004 graduate of the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute where he earned an Associate Degree in Specialized Technology and a Brillat Savarin award. He previously served as chef and instructional demonstrator for our South Hills store. Randy's appeard on Pittsburgh Today Live with Jon Burnett, QED Cooks and At Home with Jennifer. Randy is a member of the American Culinary Federation Pittsburgh Chapter, and sits on the Advisory Board for the PCI.

Born with a love of cooking (some of his first books were cookbooks), Javier is native to Puerto Rico, but has lived in Pittsburgh most of his life. A recent graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, Pittsburgh, he worked at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort before joining us at the Cooking School.

Prior to attending the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York, Keira worked high-volume banquets at the LeMont in Pittsburgh. She then served as an extern at Spago, Las Vegas, Nevada. After returning home to Pittsburgh, she finished her degree in English Literature and began teaching management courses at Pennsylvania Culinary. She accepted a position as Food Marketing Manager at Market District^®, then General Merchandise Manager and now serves as Team Leader for the Cooking School. She put her career on hold to start her family and is now mother to a few budding culinarians and thrilled to be back working with food!

Jessica graduated from San Diego State University with a BS in Food and Nutrition and completed the dietetic internship program at UPMC Presbyterian and Shadyside Hospitals. As passionate about public health education as she is cooking delicious, wholesome food, Jessica works to empower Market District^® customers to develop healthy relationships with food, so that making nutritious choices becomes natural and easy for them.

Born and raised in a small Ohio town, Tanocha always knew that cooking was her passion. This inevitably led her to attend the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute, where she graduated with honors in 2008. She is a member of the American Culinary Federation and of the Eta Sigma Delta International Hospitality Management Honor Society. Tanocha joined the Market District^® team in 2008.

Born and raised in the Pittsburgh area, Wayne is currently a student at the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute Le Cordon Bleu Program in Culinary Arts. He loves working in the kitchen and using the freshest ingredients to create classic recipes.

Daniel was raised in northern Spain, where he spent hours in the kitchen working on art projects, while his family cooked. Years later, he came to the U.S. to study computer graphics and multimedia, and took a variety of culinary positions around the world, finally opening a restaurant in the states. Today, art and cooking continue to intertwine in Daniel’s creative psyche, but he has followed his passion for food.Follow his culinary adventures at www.dinnerwithdaniel.com.

The 2003 American Culinary Federation Pittsburgh chef of the year, Chef Donato is a 1991 graduate of the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Art. He is former Executive Chef at The Capital Grille Pittsburgh and at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center, and Corporate Executive Chef at Shaner Hotel Group, and has served on the culinary advisory board of the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute. Donatos Fox Chapel is scheduled to open in early summer 2010.

Kevin is a 26-year-old Pittsburgh native who has worked in kitchens throughout the Midwest, including Cincinnati, where he apprenticed under Chef Joanne Drilling. The Crested Duck is his family-owned and operated business. Established in 2010, it places a strong emphasis on sourcing local, sustainably and environmentally friendly raised animals and produce.

Luke’s travels in Asia and South America opened his eyes to the relationship between culture and food. An honors graduate from the International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Luke worked in private and corporate restaurant positions before joining the Market District team, where he developed foodie interactions in the Demo Kitchens as well as launching the Cooking School. Currently Luke is a private consultant in the culinary arts, beer brewing and pairing.

Trained in restaurants all over the country, noted chef Richard DeShantz opened Café Richard in the Strip District in 2002. His Downtown restaurant, Nine on Nine, was awarded Four Stars by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and his third, Meat & Potatoes Gastropub, was named “Best New Restaurant” in 2011 by Pittsburgh City Magazine.

Pittsburgh native Pete Hanowich leads the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Chaine des Rotisseurs — the oldest, most prestigious food and wine society in the world. Pete currently partners with the Pittsburgh Wine Festival to offer local seminars year-round. He has presented wine lectures and tastings across the United States for many years.

Kirk Kolich is a corporate executive chef for Parkhurst Dining Services. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, in 1995. Kirk served as executive sous chef at the Duquesne Club and co-authored two cookbooks (Isagenix Is Food and The Good, The Bad, The Cookbook) with Mario J. Porreca, his partner in The Good, The Bad, The Cooks, a company that marries cooking proficiently with having fun.