Just steps from Grand Central in Manhattan, train hands on in a professional kitchen and gain the real skills you need to launch a successful culinary career.
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Knife skills, food safety, nutrition, menu planning
Core cooking and baking methods with a focus on technique
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Menu development, event planning and presentation
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Mock restaurant service with international dishes
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Apply skills in a professional kitchen from a list of curated food service establishments
Knife skills, food safety, nutrition, menu planning
Core cooking and baking methods with a focus on technique
Menu development, event planning and presentation
Mock restaurant service with international dishes
Apply skills in a professional kitchen from a list of curated food service establishments
Knife skills, food safety, nutrition, menu planning
Core cooking and baking methods with a focus on technique
Menu development, event planning and presentation
Mock restaurant service with international dishes
Apply skills in a professional kitchen from a list of curated food service establishments
Emily Brubaker is an Apex Technical School Culinary Arts advisor and Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s newest executive chef. With over twenty years of experience in the culinary industry, Emily brings organization, a wealth of knowledge, techniques, and a deep passion for food to her new role.
Throughout her career, Emily has worn various hats, from Executive Chef to R&D Chef. Emily’s roles and responsibilities have been as diverse as her culinary repertoire, showcasing her ability to navigate both the kitchen and the boardroom. As Corporate Taskforce Chef with the LEV Restaurant Group in Las Vegas, Emily spearheaded the launch of new culinary concepts, crafting SOPs and curating creative menus infused with seasonal ingredients. In her experience as Lead of Sales and Distribution at Urban Seed Inc, she seamlessly blended her culinary expertise with sales, driving revenue through strategic partnerships and product offerings.
Additional achievements include her inaugural win on NBC’s Yes, Chef this past summer as well as an appearance on Season 38 of Chopped on the Food Network. Emily showcased her talent to a global audience, leaving an incredible mark with her innovative dishes, while being judged by celebrity chefs including Martha Stewart and Jose Andres.
Emily has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California Santa Cruz, followed by an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts from the prestigious California School of Culinary Arts, Pasadena, where she graduated with honors and gold cords. At Omni La Costa, Emily’s arrival has brought a new era of cuisine, where her culinary ingenuity promises to serve delightful dishes to all resort guests.
Chef Gill Boyd serves as a Chef Instructor at Apex Technical School, with more than 40
years of experience in professional kitchens and culinary education. His background
ranges from hands–on work as a line cook to teaching roles at renowned culinary
institutes across the country.
He holds associate and bachelor’s degrees in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales
University, a Bachelor of Science in Food Service Management, and a Master of Business Administration from American Intercontinental University. Boyd is also certified as an Executive Chef, Culinary Educator, and Administrator through the American Culinary Federation.
Over 14 years of teaching, he has instructed both career-focused and recreational
culinary programs, including positions at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in
California and, since 2022, the Institute of Culinary Education in New York.
Specializing in pastry, Cordon Bleu, and gastronomy, Boyd has received international
training and is passionate about sharing his industry knowledge and real-world
expertise with Apex students as they prepare for careers in the culinary field.
Chef Jorge Bruderer serves on the Program Advisory Committee for Apex Technical School. With more than 25 years of experience and over a decade leading culinary school departments, he has shaped numerous global cuisines and advanced Culinary Arts Curriculum.
His career includes roles as a Line Cook at Hudson River Club and Judson Grill; Saucier with the Jean-Georges Group; Chef de Cuisine with the Poulakos Group; and Banquet Chef and Executive Sous Chef with the David Burke Group, Fishtails, Fromagerie, and Soho House.
He later joined Tamarack Golf Country Club and most recently served as Executive Chef at 33 Hotel New York, overseeing seasonal menus, cost management, and meticulous event planning. Bruderer has also consulted countless restaurants and provided personal chef services.
A dual graduate of the New York Restaurant School in Culinary Arts and Pastry Arts, he is fluent in English and Spanish, with knowledge of Swiss and High German. He is recognized globally for blending precision with passion to elevate every dish.
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Chef Alfred Casella serves on the Program Advisory Board for Apex Technical School. He earned his culinary arts credentials from the Art Institute of New York in 2005 and, as a licensed NYSED Instructor, brings broad leadership experience in culinary arts curriculum development and large-scale food operations.
He began his career as a roundsman at Jean-Georges in Manhattan before moving upstate, where he served as Executive Chef for the award-winning Busy Bee Café and Baby Cakes Café. He later ran kitchen operations at Anthony’s Pier Nine in New Windsor before joining Compass Group North America.
For over decade, at Compass, he led food services for Pace University and the Manhattan School of Music, directing thousands of students, three outlets, and a 5.5M dollar budget. Casella now works at SUNY Purchase College, overseeing national brands like Starbucks and Einstein Bros. Bagels. He is widely recognized for his extensive industry knowledge and commitment to developing the next generation of culinary professionals.
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