Meet our recent Chef Scholars

 

William Cesark

Sous Chef, Gabriel Kreuther

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My name is William Cesark, I am 28 years old and I was born and raised on Long Island, New York. After graduating high school I attended the Culinary Institute of America and graduated in May 2011. Upon graduation I worked for Daniel Boulud’s Bar Boulud for four years. During the course of my time I was promoted to Sous Chef. In 2015 I accepted a job at Gabriel Kreuther. After my first year I was promoted to Sous Chef and I currently hold that postion. I am very excited about this opportunity to join The Gohan Society and further the development of my culinary career.

Alex Dorjpurev

Chef de Cuisine, Morimoto Asia

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I was an opening Head sushi chef of Morimoto Asia in Disney Spring at 2015. I worked under the Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto NYC as sushi chef previously. In 2019, Executive chef Yuhi Fujinaga promoted me to Chef de Cuisine, participating in daily operations and management. Originally from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In 1998, I moved the United States and started working at Japanese restaurant as a dishwasher. Since then, I have worked side by side with many great chefs, and they have inspired me to become a Sushi chef.

Brian Flagg
     
Regional Executive Chef, Museum of Fine Arts – Boston

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Brian Flagg is Executive Chef for the acclaimed restaurants and catering services at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA). Reflecting his more than 20 years of experience in premier New England kitchens, he recently opened 465 Bar and Restaurant—the MFA”s newest dining venue—with a root-to-stalk approach that is both environmentally friendly and innovative. All of the MFA’s diverse dining venues emphasize artfully prepared cuisine using sustainable, local ingredients sourced from regional farmers, artisans and fisherpeople. Chef Flagg’s love of food and culture is exemplified in his passion for travel as his culinary adventures have taken him to more than 30 countries and six continents. Prior to joining the MFA, Chef Flagg was Director of Culinary Operations for the Worcester Restaurant Group.

Additionally, he has served as Executive Chef at Harvest, a Boston area culinary landmark in Harvard Square, and led the kitchens at the Millennium Bostonian Hotel and served as CorporateExecutive Chef for Jasper White’s restaurants. Born and bred in central Massachusetts, Chef Flagg’s family includes four generations of culinary professionals.

Jonathan Karis

Executive Sous Chef, Gramercy Tavern

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I grew up in Massachusetts. I received my undergraduate degree in Biology from Boston University. I began my culinary career towards the end of my senior year and have been cooking since. After working in Massachusetts first, I moved to the Bay Area, California shortly after where I got my foundation professionally. After four years out west I moved to New York City. I have been working at Gramercy Tavern for the past number of years, working my way from line cook to Executive Sous Chef. In my free
time I enjoy traveling around the city in search of new food/ cuisine and
shooting photographs.

William Trover

Executive Chef, Makoto

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After graduating from culinary school in his native Fort Lauderdale, chef William Trover began his cooking career in Miami, working at the Hyatt Regency before landing at Zuma, Chef Rainer Becker’s international izakaya, helping him reconnect with his Japanese roots. Trover went on to open The Dutch with chef Andrew Carmellini at the W South Beach before heading to Red, The Steakhouse in Miami Beach, where he rose from broiler cook to sous chef. Trover joined STARR Restaurants in 2015, first as sous chef at The
Continental’s Miami Beach location, then later as executive sous chef of
Makoto, chef Makoto Okuwa’s namesake restaurant in Bal Harbour Shops.

After logging a year as executive sous chef of STARR’s El Vez in Fort
Lauderdale, he returned to Makoto as its executive chef, tapping into his unique Japanese Latin-European palate to provide a skillful and authoritative voice in the kitchen.

2019 Chef Scholarship Recipients