Napa Valley Cooking School

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Executive Chef

Barbara Alexander is the Executive Chef of the Napa Valley Cooking School at Napa Valley College. Chef Alexander comes from a long line of pedigree restaurants, hotels, and cooking schools.  Beginning with a classical 3-year apprenticeship at the Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel, she went on to 15 years of Executive Chef positions at acclaimed restaurants in Vancouver, British Columbia, London, England, and Sydney, Australia before embarking upon a career in Culinary Education which took her back to her native Canada, then to the Napa Valley.  She has held the esteemed position of Senior Chef Instructor at Dubrulle International Culinary and Hotel Institute of Canada, and The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone before becoming Director of Culinary Programs and Executive Chef here at NVCS.  Chef Barbara is a Certified Executive Chef, C.E.C, ACF and holds a Certified Hospitality Educator degree, C.H.E  Well rooted in classical culinary education, Chef Barbara works hard to instill the importance of technique and craft on her students while empowering them with passion, inspiration and commitment.

Adjunct Faculty, Guest Chefs, Guest Speakers

Krista Garcia, Pastry Chef

Dieter Dopplefeld, Certified Master Chef

Stan King, Butcher

John Paul Khoury, Preferred Meats

Kim Caffrey, Wine Educator, Silver Oak, Rutherford

Charles Monahan, Food and Beverage Cost Control

Mariano Orlando, Private Chef

Osprey Seafood

** GUEST CHEFS MAY VARY EACH YEAR DEPENDING UPON AVAILABILITY

Photography by Culinary Images