Guillermo Ortega

Epicurean Group is delighted to honor Guillermo Ortega as our Chef of the Month for January! What he values most about Epicurean is the strong communication and easy access to leadership, creating a supportive and collaborative environment.

His passion for cooking comes from the joy of seeing happy faces, and he finds inspiration in his family, making time for them whenever possible.

Guillermo’s love for food extends beyond work—his favorite dish to prepare is paella, though he enjoys all cuisines. When dining out, he chooses Satomi Sushi in Fremont for his love of sushi. His culinary journey began at 19 years old as a Pizzaiolo under Rey Hernandez—Epicurean Group’s Senior VP and Co-Founder—who at the time was his Executive Chef. Seeing his potential, Rey promoted him to prep cook, launching his growth in the industry.

Outside the kitchen, Guillermo is a sports fan who enjoys attending live games. Most recently, he traveled to Phoenix to watch the 49ers vs. Cardinals game. Congratulations to Chef Guillermo Ortega on this well-earned recognition!

Alfredo Castañeda

For Alfredo, Epicurean Group is unlike any other foodservice because of the people and the amazing team he works with. As a chef, he enjoys designing and developing great menus and working with his crew. He loves preparing Asian cuisine and BBQ is one of his favorite foods.

Alfredo got hooked on cooking in 1988 along with his sister. He loves the vegan/vegetarian restaurant Millennium, which has greatly inspired him throughout his career. He also enjoys fishing and is a huge fan of the San Francisco Giants.

In addition to starting a great crepe bar at Abbott, he cooks BBQ every week. He joined Epicurean Group’s Iron Chef competition where he and his team won first place! And he considers this his most outstanding culinary achievement.

Leadership is one of Alfredo’s strongest qualities, and he gives people opportunities to grow. The Abbott community loves him and highly respects him! Way to go, Alfredo!

Cesar Rodriguez

Miguel Tapia

Miguel got hooked on cooking when he moved to America. Passionate about food, he is thankful that Epicurean Group allows him to create new things and share them with the community.

He loves Italian, Mexican, and Chinese cuisines. Back in Mexico, he was a cowboy who loved riding horses!

Miguel is loved by everyone at Marin Academy for his food and excellent customer service. Way to go, Miguel!

David Manning

In 2001, David began his culinary journey. He watched Jamie Oliver on Food Network and admired him for using simple and local ingredients and creating incredible food. Since then, cooking has been his passion. Thai and Vietnamese cuisines are his favorite dishes because of their vibrant depth of flavor.

David loves working for Epicurean Group. He appreciates the company's values and standards of using local farms and businesses and making everything from scratch. Like Epicurean Group, he believes that food tastes the best when it's in season.

When not in the kitchen, David spends his time woodworking and building small furniture for his home. He loves spending time with his twin 3-year-old boys, they are his inspiration.

Everyone at Tektronix loves David. His food has always brought comfort to the community, and he hopes that he is creating an impact in our world because of it.

Justin Given

Justin started cooking when he was four years old. Since then, cooking has been his passion! His food is filled with a very special ingredient-love-lifting the spirits of those who eat it. His favorite cuisines are Asian, Mexican, and American Regional.

Epicurean motivates him to be a better person every day and makes him feel like a member of a huge and caring family! Aside from food, he also loves sports, particularly golf, football, and hockey. Besides that, he is also a fan of theater and movies. In April and May, he is most often seen foraging for wild Morel mushrooms.

He hopes to one day get back into flying since his grandfather sparked his interest in aviation. Chef Justin is an excellent team player who enjoys teaching new cooking techniques to the staff. He is hardworking, motivated, and loved by everyone at Seagate Shakopee. He is also devoted to customer satisfaction!