January/February

Chef Vanessa Marquis, CEC, AAC, is from the "salad bowl of America" -- Salinas Valley, California. She attended the Professional Culinary Institute in Campbell, California, and is currently the corporate executive chef/director of culinary innovation at FSC Franchise Co., which includes The Brass Tap, Beef 'O' Brady's, and Newk's Eatery. After starting her career at CoredValle, a private country club in Central California, she gained experience in the galleys of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, teaching private classes, consulting, catering for up to 2,500 guests, and collaborating with Metropolitan Ministries in 2013 to create Inside the Box Culinary Arts Program for aged-out foster children. All about C hef V anessa

Culinary Trailblazer

The dynamic duo couple received the Humanitarian Medal from World Chefs Without Borders for organizing the first-ever Worldchefs event in the U.S. -- Americas in Aid 2019. Chef Vanessa Marquis says, “Giving and helping is food for my soul.” Chef Vanessa Marquis also has a competitive side, which earned her a spot on her culinary school's student team. She continued individual competitions through her career and in early 2018. Chef Vanessa Marquis was named to the ACF Culinary Team USA 2020-National Team and competed at the Culinary She and her husband, Chef Rene Marquis, are deeply involved in the chef community.

Chef Vanessa Marquis currently serves as the ACF Tampa Bay Chapter President after serving the past nine years on its board. She has served the past four years on the Worldchefs International Chefs Day Committee as the Chairman. This year, Chef Vanessa Marquis also became committee chair for the Chef & Child Initiative for the American Culinary Federation. The committee’s goal is to reach as many children as possible globally, with the help of chefs, in “Preparing Children for a Healthy Life.”

World Cup 2018 in Luxembourg, receiving a Silver medal in the Individual Category, and a Silver with the team to IKA Culinary Olympics 2020 in Stuttgart, Germany. Chef Vanessa was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs in 2021.

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