As is often the case, chefs begin spending their time in kitchens at an early age, but not always in the most glamorous roles. Kory Stewart’s first job in a professional kitchen was when he was just 12 years old, washing dishes in a small Italian restaurant in the town where he grew up.

Throughout high school Kory continued working in restaurant kitchens, building his culinary skills and developing a passion for cooking that would eventually lead him to pursue cooking as a career. After graduating, he spent three years working for a national shipping company until he finally realized he wasn’t cut out for an office job. His experience cemented his decision to return to professional cooking.

Kory moved to San Francisco in 2002 to attend culinary school at the California Culinary Academy. While receiving his culinary education, he worked at the city’s acclaimed Postrio restaurant. It was there that he met Steven and Mitchell Rosenthall, who then recruited Kory to cook at the recently opened Town Hall.

After a busy year following the opening of Town Hall, Kory traveled for nine months throughout Southeast Asia to obtain first-hand experience in Asian cooking. Upon returning to San Francisco, Kory worked at Michael Mina and Scott Howard before joining the team at Americano as executive sous chef.

In February, 2010 Kory’s hard-work, dedication and perseverance paid off. He was promoted to chef at Americano.