From the age of seven, Stephen has been working for Cloud 9 Caterers, likely the root of his passion for food. Growing up, he worked in local Vermont restaurants, the iconic Café Shelburne and the Windjammer. In 2012, Stephen began his formal culinary education at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, California. As an externship in culinary school, Stephen worked at Auberge de Soleil, a 5-star Relais & Châteaux. At Auberge, he was a chef de partie for one year, during school and following graduation from CIA, Stephen was a farmhand apprentice at The French Laundry, a 3-Star Michelin Restaurant for three years. These would be the defining years of working outside of the kitchen, working with food and seasonality. Stephen traveled to Europe and Italy for six months to study biodynamics, agriculture, and regional cuisine. Upon his return to the US, he became the farm manager at Saison, a 3-star Michelin, in San Francisco. There, he managed 4.5 acres of organic produce and livestock. Stephen stepped back into the kitchen at Saison as “gatherer,” in charge of all special sourcing and the management of preservation and fermentation program. From San Francisco he consulted in Tulum, Mexico for a local restaurant to source and create using indigenous products of the Yucatan. Now back in Vermont at Cloud 9, he joined our team as Executive Chef and says that “there is no place I’d rather be.”