Chef Stephen brings over 30 years of culinary experience to McHenry County and around Illinois. He had his first kitchen job when he was 14 in the Skylon Hotel, Dublin, Ireland, which ignited a flare and passion for cooking, leading him to work in some of the top restaurants and with the best chefs in his hometown, Dublin, as well as Galway (Ireland), Canada, and Australia.
As a Chef with an enjoyable, successful career, he has been lucky enough to have worked under some talented chefs such as Michelin star Chef Ultan Cooke in Ballynahinch Castle, Galway, Shay McFadden, Ciaran Cunningham, Ray Kersh of Edna's Table in Sydney, and Paul Lewis of The Old Schoolhouse.
He has worked in a range of kitchens and has experience in many different aspects of the catering industry, from fine dining to corporate catering, cafes, health food restaurants, Asian/Italian fusion restaurants, hotels, and bars, festivals, food stalls and trucks.
Relocating to Illinois in 2016, he has since established a personal chef company, Odes of Food, bringing his extensive worldwide culinary experience and vast knowledge of various cuisines to the people of McHenry County and beyond, as well as becoming an instructor at McHenry County College, where he facilitates monthly date night cooking classes.
This culinary perspective is evident in the food he prepares for his weekly clients and in the much-loved dinner parties he hosts in the homes of individuals seeking a high-end restaurant experience.
Stephen is also a fitness enthusiast and utilizes his knowledge of healthy food and nutrition to help keep himself and his family fit, both in mind and body. He is an avid organic gardener and uses his homegrown produce in the food he serves to his clients.
He is also a writer, and has written an award-winning poetry book, edited an anthology called The Tuesday Nights, and contributed recipes and articles to This is Galway.
So, whether you require a weekly meal plan, some meal prep, an intimate dinner, a small dinner party, or event, an educational cooking class, or want to learn how to cook and eat healthier; let Chef Stephen inspire and invigorate you with his knowledge, love, and passion for food, right in your home.