Chef Sean Kavanaugh
Executive Chef, Sports and Entertainment

Bringing 25 years of culinary and hospitality leadership to the Centerplate team, Chef Kavanaugh has a passion for delivering superior service and creating memorable food. He has continually applied his culinary expertise and strategic business sense in ways that have earned him industry acclaim, and significant business results. Under his leadership, the Restaurant at The Ritz Carlton Phoenix earned the rating of 9th best restaurant in the United States by Condé Nast Traveler magazine. His proven ability to upsell food and beverages to existing and new customers led to outstanding short-term sales increases in high profile convention center accounts. Further, Chef Kavanaugh was honored by the Association of Luxury Suite Directors for the most innovative suite menu in sports, was the winner at the 2008 Scottsdale Culinary Festival for his innovative menu and service design, and earned a finalist position in the 2009 Event Solutions Spotlight Award for Catering Company of the Year.

Chef David Skorka
Executive Chef, Convention Centers

Having identified his passion for cooking at a young age, Chef Skorka nurtured his interest and developed his craft in a number of high-profile kitchens. These experiences helped him to become the acclaimed chef he is today. Chef Skorka exhibits great leadership and innovation from both a culinary and operations perspective, and E³ Executes Extraordinary Experiences that reflect genuine hospitality.

Chef Skorka has planned, coordinated, prepared, and served a number of high-profile events, such as Presidential Dinners (Gerald Ford, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George H. W. Bush) and celebrity events (lunch for Muhammad Ali, lunch for Oprah Winfrey). In addition, his diverse experience makes him well-versed in satisfying events of any complexity.

Chef Blair Rasmussen
Executive Chef, Vancouver Convention Centre

Blair Rasmussen, a British Columbia-born chef, received his culinary training in Vancouver and is a leading figure in the development of Canadian West Coast Cuisine. Prior to his arrival at the Vancouver Convention Centre, he held positions at the Hyatt Regency, Meridien Hotel and the Canadian Club at Expo ’86. His first assignment was as an international chef was at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo in 1991. Since then, he has played a key role in Canadian food and wine promotions around the world. From Beijing to London and Amsterdam, from Barcelona to San Francisco and Washington DC, his culinary work has helped to establish a new reputation for Vancouver’s food and wine scene. During his tenure as Executive Chef, the Vancouver Convention Centre received the AIPC award for “World’s Best Convention Centre” in both 2002 and 2008 with the highest marks given for food quality and service.

Chef Philippe Chin
Executive Chef 

Born in Paris, France and raised with ethnic influences from his Chinese father and French mother, Chin’s refined fusion cuisine comes naturally. At the age of twelve he decided he would become a chef. In 1980, he graduated with Honors (selected as one of the top ten students in the country) from the highly competitive Parisian culinary school, L’Ecole Hoteliere.

Chef Chin has won many “Best of” awards and was nominated by the James Beard Foundation for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic in 1997. He has been published in countless publications and made multiple TV appearances. A mentor to many of the top chefs in this industry, Chef Chin has received praise for his culinary artistry from esteemed food critics around the country.

Chef Jonathan Barnett
Executive Chef, the Miami Beach Convention Center

Chef Jeff Leidy
Executive Chef, San Diego Convention Center

Chef Jeff Leidy likes to alter the way people think about cuisine in a convention center environment; to introduce them to current trends like showcasing natural and organic menu items presented with a classic flare. Most importantly, by personalizing menus to suit their goals, he demonstrates his passion for food through their palettes. Responsible for more than 200 employees, Jeff’s responsibilities include menu creation and implementation, oversight of the purchasing department and successful operation of all food service in the San Diego Convention Center.