Chefs' Feast

Coordinating Chef Christine Dowd, Co-owner of Aunt Pittypat's Catering, Trattoria il Centro – Italian Urban Eatery

Raised in a large Irish-Italian family in Verona, New Jersey, Christine Dowd began her culinary experience at the age of 21 as at the renowned Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. She graduated at the front of her class with high honors as a Group Leader. To hone her skills in the real culinary world of New York City, she staged (worked for free!) under Chefs such as David Boulet and Charlie Palmer while holding a full-time position in the kitchen of her mentor Chef Phillip Boulot at the reputable Mark Hotel. Taking her under his wing, Chef Boulet sent her to train for a year under his long time friend and highly respected Chef, Michele LaCompte at the 2 Star Michelin-rated La Licorne in Fontecraud, France. After returning to New York, Chef Boulet took the highly regarded position of Executive Chef of the Heathman Hotel in Portland, Oregon and offered Christine her first Chef position as the leader of the kitchen in the Heathman Bakery & Pub.

After three years in Portland, Chef Christine accepted the position of Chef d' Cuisine at Chicago's famous Bistro 110. She worked with French Chef/Partner Dominique Toungue taking the French bistro through record years. When New York again came calling, this time it was Italian restaurateur Pinot Luongo, seeking her expertise at Coco Marina, his Italian Trattoria located in the heart of New York's waterfront financial district. This is where her French culinary skills and passion for Italian food found a home.

An offer to follow in her mentor's footsteps and oversee a complete hotel operation brought her back to Chicago, several years later, where she accepted the position as Executive Chef of the Hotel Monaco & Mossant Bistro with the Kimpton Group. In 2002, the Marriott Hotel Organization wooed her to oversee the entire culinary operation at its new Oklahoma City, Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center.

By 2004, the only thing Chef Christine longed to add to her well-constructed resume was ownership. The opportunity came in the form of Oklahoma City's premier catering company, Aunt Pittypats Catering. When the family of long time friend, Maggie Howell, decided to retire and sell the operation, Dowd & Howell took over. Since that time, Chef Christine and her partner have opened Trattoria il Centro – Italian Urban Eatery, located in the newly remodeled Montgomery building in downtown Oklahoma City.

Chef Ken Bradford, Chef's Requested

Chef Ken Bradford is the Executive Chef and Manager of Food Service Operations at Chef's Requested Foods of Oklahoma City. Chef Bradford received his formal training at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, with specialized training at the Culinary Institute of America.

He has held a number of positions in the local restaurant industry and the culinary education establishment. He has been, and continues to be, involved with many philanthropic activities relating to children, the fight against hunger, and the arts.

Chef Anthony Graves, Faculty House, Univ. of Oklahoma, HSC

Chef Anthony Graves has been at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Faculty House Chef for seven years. His previous tours of duty include: Indian Hills Restaurant in Norman; and Jimmy Johnsons, County Line and Sleepy Hollow Restaurants in Oklahoma City.

Chef J. Mays, Cafe 7 Delicatessen & Pasteria

J. Mays grew up in the restaurant world. Starting at a young age in the kitchens at his family's restaurant Bill's Fish House in Waurika, Oklahoma. When he was just five years old he would stand on an upside down pickle bucket to help with dishes. It wasn't until a little later that his mother would let him cook. But after that first day he was hooked...

After high school J. left for Stillwater to attend Oklahoma State University and receive a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Administration. In his tenure there he held many leadership roles within the school. As catering manager for Club Manager's Association of America, he helped students raise over $50,000 for scholarships. Also, while in Stillwater, he had many opportunities to learn more about the world of cooking by spending time in the kitchens at Karsten Creek, The Rancher's Club, and Taylor's Dining Room. This is where he met all of his current business partners. He also had the opportunity of studying abroad for several summers learning more and more about regional European cuisine and wine. Through the Banfi Scholastic program he fell in love with the simplicity and freshness of Italian cuisine. Little did he know that Italian cuisine would play such a major role in his life.

After graduating from OSU, J. pursued a career in food sales with Ben E. Keith foods. After several months at Ben E. Keith, he was approached by a former professor, Paul Sorrentino, about the possibility of going into business and opening a restaurant, after toying with the notion he said yes.

Travel and research inspired the concept for Café 7 Delicatessen and Pastaria. Now, after a year in business, they have expanded, brought in new partners, and are busier than ever. Leslie Wiley and Chris Kana have helped build Café 7 into a great local restaurant serving seriously great Italian influenced cuisine. With its relaxed casual atmosphere, and from scratch recipes, it has been a great success.

Chef Geni Thomas, Casady School

Chef Geni Thomas is currently Executive Chef Food Service Director of Casady School, a position she has held for 20 years. Starting her professional career in the late 1960's, she has numerous achievements and awards, not to mention the professional certification she has earned. In February of 1984, Geni became the first woman chef in the Central Region to be certified by the American Culinary Federation as an Executive Chef. This was only the beginning of a very prominent and rewarding career.

Chef Thomas has earned her certification as an Executive Chef, an Executive Pastry Chef and Culinary Educator. She was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs in 1993, a pioneering event for both her and the AAC, as she was the first woman from the Central Region to be inducted into the academy. Geni was also Chef of the Year in 1994.

Chef Ryan Parrot, Season's Catering

Chef Ryan Parrott began his cooking career at age 15. By age 19, he was appointed the kitchen manager position at Tommy's Italian in Northpark Mall. Thereafter, he helped created the Vineyard in Edmond, which was later closed. Chef Parrott held positions at various other locally owned establishments that have included Petroleum Club, Switzer's Lighthouse, Boulevard Steakhouse and 501 Ranch Steakhouse.

In 2000, he helped re-conceptualize The Mantel Wine Bar & Bistro in Bricktown. He stayed at The Mantel until coming to Deep Fork Grill with the new ownership group in June 2003. Then, in July 2008, along with partners Robert Painter and Steve Mason, he helped to bring back the Iguana Mexican Grill. He also started up his own catering company called Seasons Catering, and a one table concept called Table ONE. Chef Ryan has a straightforward no frills style of cooking that focuses on flavor rather than flair, and technique rather than style. He is proud to be residing in Oklahoma City with his wife and five children, and is deeply rooted with many charity organizations, including Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, The Arts Council, March of Dimes, MS Society, and Oklahoma City Museum of Art.

Chef Rob Ferris and Chef Ray Wilson, The Sheraton Hotel - 1888

Born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, Chef Ray Wilson went on to graduate from Johnson and Wales University in Providence Rhode Island in 1989. After college, he worked at Hyatt Hotels in Dallas and Adams Mark Cork in Indianapolis. In 1999, Chef Wilson moved to Oklahoma City to work at the newly established Renaissance, where he was Hotel Executive Chef for 18 years. He now is Executive Chef at the Sheridan Hotel in Oklahoma City.

Chef Rob Ferris is the Executive Chef at the Sheraton Hotel in Oklahoma City. He has over 15 years of experience in the hotel industry as Executive Chef. Chef Ferris previously worked as the Executive Chef at Chefs di Domani. Before that, he was the Director of Culinary Arts at Platt College of Culinary Arts in Oklahoma City. He also served as an Executive Chef at the Westin Hotel and Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City, and Doubletree and Omni Hotels in Kansas City.

Chef Ferris currently serves as treasurer of the Oklahoma City Chapter of the Culinary Arts of Oklahoma. He is also a member the American Culinary Federation, Oklahoma Job Core Advisory Program and the Oklahoma Restaurant Association.

Chef Ryan Lawson, Cheever's Cafe

Born and raised in Ponca City, Ryan Lawson is an Oklahoman through and through. Ryan credits his grandmother and aunt with his love of food. His grandmother was an excellent cook and his aunt loved to entertain large groups of family and friends. Ryan enjoyed these large family events at his aunt's home as well as all the bustle of the preparations in the kitchen. However, Ryan's path to the career that he loved took a bit longer to be realized.

After high school, Ryan decided to join the army, but circumstances prevented that from happening. In searching for a job, he went to work in a warehouse building garage doors. Realizing that building in a warehouse was not a long-term career, he decided to move to Oklahoma City in his search for a better life. Then, his path took another turn away from his first love when he started selling cars. Although the job was lucrative, he did not feel it was quite right.

When Ryan got a call that his aunt had passed away, he went to pay his final respects and take part in her last family gathering. It was then that he realized where his heart really felt at ease. Returning to Oklahoma City, he quit his job selling cars and went to work at New World Cuisine in Edmond as a dishwasher. After only a week, he was promoted to prep cook, and then to line cook only a month later. His career path was set.

Being involved in the food industry, Ryan heard about the Good Egg Dining Group and Chef Robert Black. The reputation of Chef Black and the Good Egg Dining Group's restaurants inspired him to call for an interview. He was hired to work at both Red Prime Steak and Cheever's Café. Ryan's eagerness to learn and Chef Black's teaching ability proved to be a winning combination. Before long, Ryan was also working at Iron Starr Urban Barbecue as well as Market C, both Good Egg Dining Group establishments. He was promoted to Sous Chef at Cheever's Café. Recently, he was promoted again to Chef de Cuisine at Cheever's Café.

Ryan Lawson has found his niche in the food service industry. He is grateful for the opportunities provided him by Chef Black and The Good Egg Dining Group and plans to continue working for them for many years to come.

A Good Egg Dining Group was started in 2000 when Keith and Heather Paul opened Cheever's Café on 23rd and Hudson. They followed with Iron Starr Urban Barbecue in 2002. Both are unique restaurants housed in charming historic Oklahoma City structures. In 2007, the Pauls opened their third restaurant, Red Prime Steak. The upscale restaurant is located in the historic Buick Building on 4th and Broadway in Downtown Oklahoma City. They opened Market C, a gourmet take-out and catering restaurant, in the fall of 2008. Pops joined the team in August of 2007. This 50's style stop on historic Route 66 east of Edmond offers over 500 flavors of soda pop, gas, quick shop items, as well as a full service café. The fall of 2009 welcomed another Iron Starr Urban BBQ in Norman on Campus Corner. The next Good Egg Dining Group establishment, Republic, an American Gastropub, will feature a chef-driven menu with 100 tap beers focused on American Craft Beers, and 250 beers by the bottle. It is scheduled to open in the spring of 2010 on Classen Curve. Watch for more Good Egg Dining Group options in the future.

Chef Saeed Mirzaee, Pat Morris, and Katy Reddick, Platt College

Chef Saeed Mirzaee and Chef Patrick Morris are culinary arts instructors at Platt College.

Chef Biman Das, Gopuram – Taste of India

Chef Biman Das has a B.A in Hospitality management from the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), a program that has been recognized by Queen Margaratte University,Scottland,U.K. His diploma is in Catering Technology specializing in Fusion cooking with Indian Cuisine.

He was also Assistant to Sous Chef of Hyatt Regency, Kolkata, India, during an industrial training program, and was employed by Hyatt Regency Bonaventure, Florida.

He specializes in East Indian cuisine and Tandoor. Currently, he is working with Gopuram - Taste of India as Sous Chef where he directs cooks with innovative traditional menu planning for big catering events.

Chef Ian Wagner, Sodexo Catering of Oklahoma City

Chef Ian Wagner, a native Oklahoman, has over 15 years in the Restaurant and Hospitality industry. This is his seventh year participating in the Chef's Feast, and is always bringing new ideas and techniques to the game of cooking. A lover of food and a dedicated servant to the industry, Ian joined Sodexo's Culinary Team in 2009 and took the reigns as the Executive Chef of Southern Nazarene University. With an extensive background in multiple cuisines from around the world, Ian has taken a creatively global approach to help influence the Modern Oklahoman Cuisine of today.

Chef Kelli Keegan, Oklahoma City University

Chef Kelli Keegan is the Executive Chef at Oklahoma City University. She came to OCU from Platt College in Oklahoma City, where she served as the instructor of Garde Manger. Chef Keegan graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of Scottsdale, Arizona. While in school, she was selected to compete in a statewide culinary competition and placed second in the Garde Manger area.

Chef Keegan was also selected among entries from across the nation for a two-year internship throughout Canada. She is a member of the American Culinary Federation and is currently serving as the secretary of the Oklahoma City Chapter. In addition to these honors, Chef Keegan has also held various high positions. As a chef trained in traditional and contemporary styles of food preparation and presentation, Chef Keegan's unique abilities have certainly caught the attention of all those who have had the pleasure to enjoy her fine cuisine.

Chef Kyle Mills, Red Prime Steak

Kyle Mills intense passion for cooking began in the modest kitchens of his mother and grandmother in Norman, Oklahoma. As a graduate of Scottsdale Culinary Institute Le Cordon Bleu, he is classically trained in French Cooking.

His many travels throughout Europe always sustained one common goal: to sample as many local cuisines and wines as possible. This lends its hand to Kyle's spontaneous inventiveness in the kitchen. Kyle began his culinary career at Michael's at the Citadel in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he was greatly able to hone his cooking skills. After returning to Oklahoma City he spent time as the Sous Chef at Nonna's Euro-American Ristorante as well as the Renaissance Hotel. He has also worked at several French and Italian restaurants in San Francisco. Kyle brought his energy and culinary enthusiasm to RedPrime Steak in January of 2009. Throughout the past year he has continued to lend his skills and passion to the tremendous success of one of the hottest restaurants in Oklahoma City.

Chef Bruce Rinehart, Rococo

A professional for over 30 years, Bruce spent the beginning of his career learning from the best in kitchens around America. Since 1996, he has moved to the role of restaurant Director of Operations, and orchestrated the opening of over 15 new restaurants for 2 top-flight restaurant groups based in Boston. He moved to Oklahoma in the fall of 2003, specifically with the intention of opening a great "East Coast style" restaurant – Rococo. Bruce is directly responsible for the relaxed, fun-yet-thorough style of service you can expect at Rococo.

An expert in the realm of wine and food pairing, he is sharing this wealth of knowledge with the Rococo staff. Bruce has an intense passion for our industry, and welcomes interaction and feedback from everyone. "One guest at a time" is a phrase he uses often, and he really means it. Everyone's opinion counts, and will be incorporated into the daily operation of Rococo Restaurant and Fine Wine. Bruce is a native of New London, Connecticut, and has worked in many major markets, including San Diego, Washington, D.C., Ft. Lauderdale and Boston.

Chef Kurt Fleischfresser, The Coach House

With several of Oklahoma City's favorite and finest restaurants under his belt, it's safe to say Chef Kurt Fleischfresser knows what he's doing. And he should – he's been cooking for as long as he can remember. As the sole proprietor and chef of The Coach House, Chef Fleischfresser has perfected his own brand of gracious and elegant dining.

Chef Fleischfresser has twice been invited to the world-renown James Beard House in New York City as part of the Great Regional Chefs Program. He is a two-time finalist in the prestigious American Culinary Gold Cup Competition. In 2003, Chef Fleischfresser Kurt won Oklahoma's "The Taste of Elegance" award sponsored by the Pork Producers. Kurt was also selected for The Celebrated Chef program sponsored by the National Pork Board.

He has produced and appeared in over 53 episodes of "The Oklahoma Kitchen" and has filmed more than 35 commercials for the Oklahoma Beef Producers and Made in Oklahoma Coalition. He was also asked to participate in Oklahoma State University's Guest Chef Program.

Chef Jeffrey Khowong, Will Rogers Theatre

Chef Jeffrey Khowong has an extensive culinary background. He is a native born of Thailand whose parents emigrated from China. He was raised in New York City and started working in the kitchen with his mother at the age of 12. Chef Khowong has worked his way from the back of house as a line cook to a chef, and from the front of the house as a waiter to captain, and as sommelier to general manager. During his years training in the kitchen, he had the opportunity to work under some very talented chefs.

In the recent years before moving to Oklahoma City and joining Western Concepts LLC, his previous position as General Manager at the restaurant BLU got him an excellent review from New York Times.

Most recently, Chef Jeffrey has had the opportunity to work with Chef Kurt Fleischfresser, classmate of his mentors, Rick Moonen and David Burke in New York City. He has also held various catering functions with Chef Fleischfresser, such as a fine service seated dinner for the La Chaine des Rotisseurs dining group. Chef Khowong currently serves as the Executive Chef for the Will Rogers Theatre and Sushi Neko.

Chef Gerald Harden, The Mantel Wine Bar & Bistro

Gerald Harden, Executive Chef at The Mantel Wine Bar and Bistro, was born in Oklahoma. He graduated from Moore High School and joined the United States Air Force after graduation. During his 15 years in the military, Gerald travelled all over the world, visiting new cultures and experiencing the best cuisines abroad. He worked with several Chefs from France, Germany, Spain, and Luxemburg.

From early on, Gerald knew he enjoyed creating food to entertain his friends and family. Taking advice from his grand-mother, Gerald decided to leave the military life behind and pursue a career in Culinary Arts. To ensure he would like working in a professional kitchen, he enrolled in culinary school at Platt College in Oklahoma City. While attending school full-time, Gerald began working at the Mantel Wine Bar and Bistro as a Pantry Chef. He didn't just like it, he absolutely loved it, and his professional career was born. After graduating with Honors, Gerald became the Executive Chef of the Mantel Wine Bar and Bistro.

In addition to spending countless hours in the kitchen creating culinary masterpieces, 35-year-old Gerald enjoys riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle, and spending time with Gerald Jr., his 4-year old son.

Chef Rob Jacob Drennan, The Metro Wine Bar & Bistro

Chef Rob Jacob Drennan attended the Francis Tuttle Culinary Arts program during high school; after graduating, went onto OSU-Okmulgee's Culinary Arts program in 2006.While at OSU, he played a role for a James Beard Dinner, with mentor Brandon Thrash, and also worked with Ferran Adria and 10 Best chefs of Spain: Cocina de Vangardia event for the James Beard House in New York City. After leaving OSU he then worked for Chris McCabe at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Oklahoma City, then moved to go work at the Metro Wine Bar & Bistro, Obtained Sous Chef within a year and a half.

Chef Jonas Favela, Ranch Steakhouse

Chef Jonas Favela's road to becoming a chef started in Las Vegas, Nevada. Through a sequence of events that found him working at McDonalds, he unknowingly started on his journey to his culinary destiny. Chef Favela studied under the talented Chef Brad Johnson at Mezzaluna in Austin, Texas. Like many restaurants, the kitchen included all technical aspects of cooking. What set it apart, however, was that it also included everything else about orchestrating the ultimate dining experience.

He has worked for a couple of catering companies, The Chef's Kitchen in Oklahoma City and Ambrosia Catering, here in Oklahoma. In the past, he has watched and respected such illustrious chefs to learn great cooking techniques. His passion for food is rooted in the rich fabric of his family's heritage. Chef Favela hopes his hard work and consistency will allow him to share his passion for food and to continuously explore new frontiers in cooking.

Larry McNeal, McNeal's Catering and Coco Flow

CocoFlow began in 2003 as a small catering business featuring chocolate fountain rentals. It was not long before the vision for the business expanded, and they found themselves longing to create a cozy wonderland of chocolate in their home town of Oklahoma City. The dream was to have a place where young and old alike could find that one special treat to make their heart sing and where they could explore the artisan nature of chocolate.

They worked hard to create a place that as foodies, they could enjoy themselves with good chocolates, good pastries, rich espresso and a warm atmosphere. Like traditional European chocolateries, at CocoFlow they make all of their chocolates by hand in small batches. They use fine Belgian chocolate as well as rare single origin chocolates from around the world. They apply the same philosophy to their pastries and desserts, which are all made from scratch in their kitchen.

It is their sincere hope that when a customer walks through their door, their senses are indulged and their interest aroused. Good chocolate is an experience and they know that you will find an unforgettable experience at CocoFlow.

Jason Duncan, Cafe Evoke Catering

Cafe Evoke Catering is a fun, enthusiastic, original, local coffee company that was formed to give people an opportunity to enjoy the quality, comfort and atmosphere of your favorite local specialty coffee shop, only better.

From mochas and lattes to fine European sipping chocolates and more, choosing Cafe Evoke Catering ensures that you and your guests will receive a unique and unforgettable catering experience. They offer traditional Espresso bars, American Espresso bars, tea bars, chocolate bars, brewed coffee service, Italian soda bars and granite!

Ken Burkemper, Ideas in Ice

Chef Ken Burkemper has participated in the Chefs' Feast since its inception. As all those participating in this annual event, he is community-minded, supporting local and national charitable organizations, his church, and the Boy Scouts with his culinary abilities.

Chef Burkemper has been a Certified Chef for over 30 years and is Oklahoma's only National Ice Carving Association Certified Ice Sculptor. Since 1989, when demand began to grow for his for exceptional ice accents, he has served the state and surrounding areas with his full-service ice sculpting company.

He is also active on the Board of Directors of the National Ice Carvers Association and a long-time member of the American Culinary Federation. Ideas In Ice sponsors and hosts the Oklahoma Restaurant Association Ice Sculpture Competition. Chef Burkemper competes annually in national and international ICE SCULPTURE contests, including Japan in 2004 where he earned the "Japanese Culinary Society" award for Best Ice Sculpture and the "Legends" award for Best Story Told with an Ice Design; he placed 18th overall in this World Championship.

Chef Geni Thomas, Casady School

Chef Geni Thomas is currently Executive Chef Food Service Director of Casady School, a position she has held for 20 years. Starting her professional career in the late 1960's, she has numerous achievements and awards, not to mention the professional certification she has earned. In February of 1984, Geni became the first woman chef in the Central Region to be certified by the American Culinary Federation as an Executive Chef. This was only the beginning of a very prominent and rewarding career.

Chef Thomas has earned her certification as an Executive Chef, an Executive Pastry Chef and Culinary Educator. She was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs in 1993, a pioneering event for both her and the AAC, as she was the first woman from the Central Region to be inducted into the academy. Geni was also Chef of the Year in 1994.

Chef Jonathan Krell and Chef Heather Payne – Nonna's Euro-American Ristorante & Bar

Chef Jonathan Krell

Jonathan attended the Art Institute in Philadelphia majoring in Audio Engineering, Jonathan toured across the United States, Canada and Mexico for 6 years. In 2001, Jonathan decided to start a new career in the culinary arts. He began as a line cook and worked his way to being a chef. Jonathan stag aired in 6 month increments under many chefs at several of his favorite restaurants in Philadelphia, such as Morimotos, Kokos, St. Jacks, and Mint. In 2007, Jonathan moved to Oklahoma and accepted a position at The Mantel, then Caf� Nova, before coming to Nonna's Euro-American Ristorante and Bar. Jonathan would like to broaden the community's food knowledge, and expose them to new culinary technique and exciting flavor profiles.

Chef Heather Payne

Heather's culinary career began early when she worked for a catering company before attending college. This early start was the spark that ignited her desire to one day become a Chef. Upon graduation from Northern Oklahoma College in 2005 with a degree in Business Administration, Heather pursued her culinary dream at the Institute of Platt College. She then worked as a line cook for the franchise PF Changs, progressed to the lead cook for the Ford Center and then on to become the sous Chef at Firelake Casino. In 2009, Heather accepted the Chef's position with Nonna's. Heather aspires to create food that not only satisfies her guests but also surprises them with the quality of the food and the care she and her team have put in to each dish.

Chefs Cally Johnson and Kathryn Mathis, Big Truck Tacos

It seems that, over the years, Cally Johnson and Kathryn Mathis have been on a journey to find each other. Though neither is from Oklahoma City originally, each has made her own lasting impact on its culinary scene. The product of their combined expertise is Big Truck Tacos, the little taco restaurant that has taken the metro area by storm.

Johnson, a former singer/songwriter from California who came to OKC via Nashville, TN, entered the food industry at the age of 36. In the fall of 2000, Johnson began working at Deep Fork Grill under her good friend, executive chef Leonard Novak, a graduate of Kurt Fleischfresser's renowned Coach House apprenticeship. It was there that Johnson met Chris Lower, who, along with Fleischfresser, owned the restaurant. As time and her relationship with the two gentlemen progressed, she was groomed to take over that kitchen, becoming its executive chef in a few short years. Johnson continued to grown in the food world, spending much of her career as the executive chef of Boulevard Steakhouse, in Edmond.

Mathis got hooked on restaurants a bit earlier in life; what started as a summer job quickly became a passion, and then a career. Her path crossed that of Lower (and Fleischfresser) in the late 80's, when the men opened the Metro Wine Bar and Bistro. Mathis was introduced to Lower by his wife, kept in touch with the restauranteurs and was tapped to work with them at Montrachet, in Tulsa, in the early 90's, starting as a grill cook but leaving 3 years later as the chef de cuisine, to head the kitchen at Portobello (now Deep Fork Grill) in Oklahoma City. She remained there until 1995, at which point she decided to decamp for Austin, TX. She worked around Austin for several years, heading the kitchens of Mezzaluna and the Bitter End, before becoming a personal chef to some of Austin's elite.

In early 2009, the stage was set for greatness. Johnson had resigned her job at Boulevard, seeking personal growth and time to explore what she felt were essentials in a great kitchen. "I realized I hate status quo and the �good enough' mentality," she said. Mathis made the decision to return to Oklahoma City, both to be closer to her family and because she believed that Oklahoma City offered her more opportunity to own a restaurant. Fortuitously, the two had met the previous spring, when Mathis was invited by Kurt Fleischfresser to cook a private, multi course dinner at the Coach House, for Women's Night Out. Johnson, along with several other notable, local, female chefs, was part of the crew that executed this dinner to rave reviews. After years of working for and with the same folks but never meeting, they pair could finally answer yes to the question "Do you two know each other?" They became fast friends.

Of this friendship was born a dream. Mathis wanted a small, low key place to get a great taco for breakfast. Johnson wanted a food truck. The rest, as they say, is history. During an "innocent" conversation with Lower, Johnson mentioned their vision. He was on board almost immediately and the three came together for the first time ever as business partners.

In the months leading up to the opening, the trio planned, plotted, renovated and took a road trip, to southern California, to pick up the eponymous Truck. All that, and more, was documented on their Facebook page, creating a buzz around Oklahoma City's newest hot spot, well before it was open to the public. When they finally opened for business, that hot day in late July 2009 it was to a packed house and rave reviews.

Social media is a huge part of Big Truck Tacos' success. They're well on their way to 5,000 Facebook fans and have nearly 2,000 followers on Twitter. They use the sites to disclose the location of the truck, to get the word out about food and drink specials and, in general, to stay in touch with the public. The new media allows them to have real conversations with their customers and to develop relationships that reach deeper than the traditional client-chef/owner roles. Through Facebook and Twitter, the owners have built and fostered a community of supporters.

Along with the joys (and hard work!) of ownership comes a sense of responsibility to that community, a value prized by Johnson, Mathis and the entire Big Truck family. Last fall, they developed pink versions of their popular BTT gear: t shirts, baseball caps and stocking hats, all in light pink, to support the campaign against breast cancer. They held a food drive in December, to benefit the Regional Food Bank of OK and, in the wake of the Haitian disaster, collected and matched customer donations to the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders. "I think it's huge," said Mathis. "It's only right that we, as owners, give back to the community who supports us."

The future for Big Truck Tacos looks as bright as its past. Their altruistic approach to business, combined with phenomenal leadership and an outstanding team of supporting players spells long term success for this local upstart. When asked to share her vision, Mathis replied, "We're going to keep growing, which gives us the opportunity to do more: maybe it's another BTT, maybe a new concept� who knows. But in the meantime, we'll keep working hard and continue to give back. Oh, and don't forget world peace!"