Call him a culinary alchemist, or a foodways renaissance man;

Just like all remarkable dishes, Rob’s career started with solid ingredients, mixed with some unique yet complementary additions.

 

It all began in 1973 when Rob enrolled as a culinary arts student at Bullard Havens Vocational Technical School in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Once immersed into the world of cooking, the classroom couldn’t contain his drive. So, he got a job as a dishwasher at a Walgreens, back when they featured a lunch counter. His masterplan was to advance from suds to sizzle. Soon his work ethic and desire to exercise his cooking skills landed him a spot at the grill. It may be where his love for patty melts started.

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After high school, it was time to get serious about earning the title “Chef”, so it was on to Johnson and Wales in Providence, RI, to hone his craft in their acclaimed culinary program. But after graduating, Rob realized that restaurants and catering were businesses, and that would require another set of skills. So off to the University of New Haven for business school.

 

Fully armed, he took on the world, and 35 years later, he can proudly claim that he has worked with and for some of the most exceptional people and employers. These experiences have included upscale restaurants, world-class hotel chains, nationally recognized restaurant groups, and product manufacturers.

 

Along his journey, he has won multiple culinary competitions and molded a unique blend of creative flair and passion for food, with deep knowledge and understanding of specialty/ethnic foods. If he were just a chef, that would be enough, but Rob’s business side is just as rich. For over three decades, he has mastered the ability to increase product awareness and successfully bring products to market. He is a businessman, teacher/mentor, who is as skilled in R&D, and financial analysis, as he is with creating a delicious demi-glace.

Today, Rob is a renowned Atlanta figure for his amazing gourmet pizza, and creator of Datil Bee Awesome Sweet Hot Honey. The kitchen is still his “laboratory”, where tantalizing taste buds is his primary mission.