Hermann Schafer
Chef Hermann Schaefer’s culinary passion developed as a young boy under the loving totaling of his grandmother. A native of Austria, Chef Schaefer fondly recalls watching his Oma (grandmother) as she regularly cooked Austrian specialties for the family. He nurtured this early gastronomic enthusiasm by preparing Austrian deserts such as Kaiserschmarn, Salzburgernockerl and Palatschinken with his best friend Hannes after school. At the ripe age of 13, he began working at his mother’s Tavern, where he preformed a variety of chores and helped with the cooking.
After completing high school Chef Schaefer began his formal training with a three year program in hotel and restaurant management. At the end of the program, he served a three year apprenticeship at the Grand Hotel Sauerhof in Baden by Vienna, one of Austria’s finest five-star luxury hotels. After graduating in Culinary Arts and Hotel Management he spent the next five years working in three of the most luxurious hotels in Switzerland, serving as Chef de Party, Sous Chef and Chef.
In 1994, Chef Schaefer crossed the Atlantic Ocean by moving to the United States, where he got a job at the Anaheim Hilton and Towers. After one year he accepted another job at Bistango Restaurant, where he started as the Executive Sous-Chef. Only two years later he was promoted to Executive Chef. Under the supervision of Chef Schaefer, Bistango Restaurant received seven consecutive gold medal awards, while he simultaneously received six consecutive nominations as one of the Great Chefs of Orange County.
In 2001, Chef Schaefer decided to reunite with the Culinary Team of Anaheim Hilton and Towers, where he was offered and accepted a position as Executive Sous-Chef. Anaheim Hilton and Towers is on of the largest luxury Hotels in Southern California with 1600 Rooms and five culinary outlets and a enormous Banquet facility. Chef Schaefer stayed onboard for another two years, before he accepted a position as Executive Chef at the Hilton San Diego Resort.
As head of Operations and Food and Beverage of the Hilton San Diego Resort and the Executive Chef of the onsite Acqua Chef Schaefer’s creative and unique cuisine and experience.
Between working and spending time with his family Chef Schaefer gives cooking classes in his spare time.
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