About Us
HELLO AND WELCOME TO CULINARY QUEST!
I'm chef John S. Miller, and my passion for food has led to 30+ years culinary experience that I am happy to share with you.
I grew up cooking. I was inducted into the family restaurant business in Florida at the early age of 12, when I found myself happily starting off as the dishwasher. I loved it so much that before the year was up, I was assistant short order cook.
A few years later, I landed in Hyde Park New York, where I attended the Culinary Institute of America, graduating at the top of my class circa 1985. Soon after graduating I had the good fortune of landing a job with Dennis Max and Burt Rappaport’s groundbreaking Max’s Restaurant Group. It was a wonderful opportunity to hone my skills among some of the best chefs in the region, in the middle of what would later be recognized as a culinary revolution within the region, Floribbean Cuisine, a wonderful melting pot of an array of distinctive and similar nations , ingredients and culinary influences!!
After “paying my dues” I decided it was time to advance my career and worked my way up to Executive Chef at some of the finest culinary establishments in Florida. In addition to an Executive Chef position within Max’s Group, I also held the title at The Left Bank restaurant, one of the top 50 Classical French restaurants in the country at that time, The Armadillo Cafe, a contemporary southwestern award winning landmark. I also led the grand opening of Café 66 at the Pier 66 hotel, a trend setting restaurant and night club like South Florida had never seen.
In 1993 I decided to share my love of cooking with the new and up and coming chefs, spending 7 years as a Senior Chef Instructor at the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale, plus and 3 more years in that same position at the Florida Culinary Institute.
In 2000 , with a wealth of vast culinary experience , I decided it was my time to create , highlight and open my own culinary vision , Mediterranea, a unique sandwich and salad, casual dining -catering venue. After a successful 3 year run, I was recruited by Allstate Food Marketing to establish a new culinary position within the company, as Corporate Chef and Key Account Manager.
After 15 wonderful years at AFM/ Acosta Food Sales and Marketing , I am now returning to my first love, creating and catering , sharing the food that I love to prepare via the creation of Culinary Quest Catering.
My culinary passion and mission has always been tried and true and never substituted nor compromised, "I make food taste great"
We can create any range of menus, from contemporary to classic comfort foods we all love, and set up events from casual boxed lunches to formal affairs. We also offer all levels of culinary instruction, whether it be at home and personal to a kitchen classroom setting and environment.
In addition, I am also a "Master Knifesmith" and Instructor of all Culinary cutlery. I offer proper and professional knife instruction , maintenance, sharpening and honing of your cutlery , from handle and grip to professional knife cutting techniques , so you may now possess the knife skills of a life long culinarian in a matter of one afternoon.
Why offer this service one may ask, a very simple answer indeed, it is the tool of your trade , my profession, an extension of my hand in the kitchen and if I am tasked to any job in the kitchen, what would be the first tool you reach for, correct, your Chef's Knife
From cutting edge contemporary to classic comfort, simply give us a call and I will personally design your menu in collaboration with your budget as well as culinary vision and expectations.