Get Lucky

STAFF STORIES
oliver kakos 
manager, noodle bar (ny)
(since 2009, promoted from captain in 2011)

“i started working in restaurants when i was 14. i’ve held just about every position imaginable, washing dishes, flipping burgers, wine buyer, waiter, baker, host, food runner and manager. at má pêche, i’ve been able to further develop my skills, specifically in management. i have loved seeing our staff grow. it’s not only a wonderful feeling to see someone master certain skills, or overcome obstacles, but to see them teaching someone else is, for me, just the coolest.”

STAFF STORIES
dean hoebbel
operations, papercut
(since 2010, promoted from intern) 

“i’ve been in the restaurant industry since high school. i wanted to be on the operations team because i wanted an opportunity to learn about all aspects of the restaurant industry. the best thing about my job is the ability to work alongside everyone in our company, from human resources to bussers at the restaurants. my day is never the same: one day i might lead a meeting about preparing for an opening, and another day, i’ll help organize our storage facilities. there’s a little bit of everything, big and small.”

STAFF STORIES
jose segura
captain, momofuku ssäm bar
(since 2009, promoted from busser) 

“i got my start in the restaurant business as a porter at the modern at age 18. in that position, i got to see the inner-workings of the back of house, and got to work my way up through front of the house positions, from busboy, to runner. i moved on, joining the craft team, where i worked my way up to captain. i joined ssäm bar as a busser in 2009, and i’ve worked every foh position. i’ve learned to appreciate food, wine, and hospitality. i’m currently in school for electrical engineering, but the restaurant industry is my passion.”

STAFF STORIES
tj daveldek
sous chef, momofuku má pêche
(since 2010, promoted from extern) 

“i began in restaurants when i was 16, as a busboy, in roanoke, va. one day some cooks ‘no showed’, which is when i first got the opportunity to work the line. i attended the cia in hyde park and externed with tien ho at momofuku ssäm bar in 2009. after graduation, i came back to momofuku as opening line cook at má pêche, and was promoted to sous chef a year after. i enjoy working with other young cooks; while i get to teach them skills, i also learn more about how to be a better manager myself.”

staff stories learn more internships learn more CAREER OPENINGS learn more

THE MOMOFUKU SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM is designed to award staff members with opportunities to travel, learn, and explore. twice a year, employees are invited to submit proposals for review, and the winner is given three weeks of paid time off to learn! employees are asked to share what they learned with their colleagues upon returning.

 
2012 scholarship winner casey shively, commis, momofuku ko

casey hopes “to bring a full circle awareness of food to [her]self and to pass on that knowledge and respect in how [she] prepares it, eats it, and teach others about it.” she is spending her time on a farm to understand what makes a commercial pork chop (or chicken, or vegetable) different from the most delicious pork chop you’ve ever eaten, before it’s even cooked.

2011 scholarship winner roseanne smith, server and pastry cook, momofuku ssäm bar

in 2011, roseanne used her scholarship to shadow evan strusinski, aka “evan the forager,” seeking out everything from wild greens to nettles, wild pea shoots, ramps, oyster mushrooms, wild herbs, and more.  roseanne’s scholarship gave her a “new perspective on the care and hard work involved in providing the high quality food we serve our customers.”

2011 scholarship winner lisa ludwinski, counter, momofuku milk bar

lisa was awarded the summer 2011 scholarship to learn the art of bread making in her home state of michigan. she divided her time between zingerman’s bakehouse in ann arbor, mi and avalon international breads in downtown detroit. lisa documented her experience in a video, watch it here.

2010 scholarship winner nick wong, line cook, momofuku ssäm bar

nick used his scholarship to stage at noma in copenhagen. “my experience there was amazing. it was incredible to see how passionate they all were, whether it was making sure a single leek was cooked properly, to a beer brewed just a few kilometers away, or trying to calculate the age of a 100+ year old clam…working at noma stays with me to this day.”