meet our chef

Chef CJ grew up in northern Wisconsin and spent his time hunting, fishing, canoeing, and hiking. He got into food around 11 or 12 when his family bought the property and started a hobby farm with a big garden, goats, and lots of sheep, pigs, chickens, Guinea fowls, and even tilapia in a pond. His first ‘wow’ moment with food was making maple syrup over a fire with sap extracted from his family’s trees, canning venison, and other food from the property. Chef CJ tried to pickle everything when he was in middle school. Even potatoes.

Like all good chefs, CJ started as a dishwasher for a large restaurant, but his first real restaurant experience began at the Wine Cellar in downtown Coeur d’Alene, where he learned about food, wine, and restaurant life. That’s where he and the owner of Vine & Olive first worked together for five years in the late 2000s.

Next, he worked at Tony’s on the Lake for over 10 years, starting as a line cook, then Sous Chef, and eventually Executive Chef. In between seasons, Chef CJ also worked as a butcher/farmhand. He’s raised livestock for personal use and is a passionate forager, even teaching foraging classes and conducting private wilderness-based dinners. He describes his cooking style as ‘rustic’ and is committed to natural food systems like foraging and fishing, preserving techniques, and utilizing seasonal, local ingredients.

Chef CJ has two sons, David (7) and Daniel (5), who join their Dad on his foraging adventures and share his love for canoeing, fishing, camping, & cooking.