Chef michael

As a child, Michael and his brothers would hang out in the kitchen and “help” their mom by being the official tasters and picking up simple techniques. These skills came in handy when he moved out on his own and began experimenting with different flavors and textures.​ After getting married and raising two children (one now a pastry chef and the other a highly regarded sous chef), Chef Michael attended the Westlake Culinary Institute (WCI). After graduating, he stayed on as an assistant instructor for two semesters while also teaching classes to the general public, where he discovered his passion for sharing his knowledge of the culinary arts. He then joined the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel and Resort in Westlake Village as a chef in the Health and Wellness Kitchen, a position he held for many years.

Seeking a new challenge, he became the private resident chef at a large luxury facility in Malibu, where he shared his skills with clients and staff for more than three years. He later returned to his love of teaching as a chef instructor at a prominent culinary school in Santa Barbara, until pursuing the dream of opening his own school, Turn Up the Heat Culinary, became a reality.