Johnny Michael Bojinoff “Chef de Cuisine”

With a progressive 32 years of culinary experience my career began

at the age of 16 as a dishwasher for Char-Kings Restaurant in my home city of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Later I would take all Foods Classes 1-4 at Northrop Senior High School and after graduation, enlisted in the U.S Navy as a cook heading to California.

After 6 ½ years of active duty I made my home in San Diego working at the Cafe California, Chula Vista mall in the Broadway Store. California Catering Co. under Executive Chef Nick Excel, and later under San Diego celebrity Chef Mary K. Waters ofWaters Fine Foods and Catering..It was these two mentors that instilled the west coast method of cuisine I prepare today. A style of cuisine marked by an interest in fusion cuisine...comfort (integrating disparate cooking styles and ingredients) and in the use of freshly prepared local ingredients.{Food typically prepared with strong attention to presentation and sustainability}.

A 2004 honors graduate with an AOS degree from the acclaimed Le Cordon Bleu

Western Culinary Institute/Portland Oregon Chef Bojinoff is also an ACF certified culinarian

Prior to becoming Chef de Cuisine for Old crown Coffee Roasters I've held the following positions...Chief Expediter Fort Wayne Summit Club, Sous Chef Oyster Bar North, Sous Chef Catablu Gourmet Grille Broadway ,Executive Chef Mallory's formerly Don Hall's Guesthouse Hotel, Pastry Chef La Prima Tratorria in Portland, Oregon to name a few.

“Cooking was always a hobby and a fun way for me to spend quality time with my family growing up, especially around the holidays. When I was in my senior year at Northrop High School, I wanted to pursue a career in cooking. As I've become more experienced. The biggest reward for what I do is seeing the emotional impact that building intricate flavor profiles in dishes has on the guests that I serve every day. Other than supporting my loving family, the emotional impact of the “food experience” is the true reward to me and why I create dishes the way I do everyday.”

my advice to aspiring chefs: “Journey into the unknown and don’t look back. Give yourself to the craft.”