01History
DJ CHEF’s great grandfather, affectionately referred to as “Poppy,” has been an inspiration and motivation throughout his life.
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Poppy always ran green markets. In the 1920s he had a small store in Harlem, NY, before migrating to Long Beach in 1935 to open King Kohen (the former site of today’s Stop & Shop).
CHEF would visit the fresh fruit and vegetable market every day with his grandmother, Poppy’s daughter. He’d run around, grab fresh produce, and Poppy would explain the benefits of each piece of produce. Poppy took pride in what he sold and cared that each child on the block had fresh fruit to eat. It was a passion that lasted until his death at 90 years young.
While CHEF was only 18 at the time, Poppy’s lessons live on, provide for your family, love what you do, and have a passion for others.
Early Career
DJ CHEF’s creative path began at 15, spinning tracks at house parties while discovering a passion for cooking as a prep cook.
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Inspired by his catering boss, he trained at the New York Restaurant School, refining his craft under legends like Bobby Flay, Matthew Kenney, and John Tesar. Back on Long Island, DJ CHEF earned rave reviews for his inventive dishes and decadent desserts, with features in News 12, Newsday, and The New York Times, cementing his reputation as a culinary star.
Today, DJ CHEF blends his love of music and food, creating events where high-energy beats and unforgettable flavors take center stage. Whether spinning tracks or crafting meals, he transforms every occasion into an interactive celebration that leaves guests raving.
The DJ CHEF Experience
After years in the restaurant scene DJ CHEF took a job as a corporate chef with Sodexho-Marriott and ran the food services for big companies like Pfizer, McCann Erickson, and Cablevision.
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Eventually, company executives requested his culinary services for private events. But DJ CHEF soon realized that the private parties he was catering needed more than food, they needed an atmosphere.
After the launch of the Food Network, food became a source of entertainment. With CHEF’s new weekend hustle, catering executive events, he set out to mix his passion for music and food into a new recipe for success, for himself and his clients. That’s when he began deejaying while preparing gourmet meals and created something entirely new, a cooking
party. From then on, he became known as DJ CHEF, “The Chef That Rocks”.
National Recognition
DJ CHEF’s unique talents brought him to the forefronts of the entertainment industry, performing at celebrity soirées including Christie Brinkley, B. Smith’s Blue Moon BBQ and James Blunt CD release party.
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He has traveled as far as Dubai for Create & Barrels 1 Year Anniversary Celebration at Dubai Mall, Beverly Hills BMW Holiday Party to Pay Pal’s 360 event in Laguna Beach. DJ CHEF is an in demand entertainer for food festivals he has performed and hosted at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, World Food Championships Las Vegas, Hot & SpicyFood Festival in Toronto, and Philly Cooks.
He went on to appear on television segments such as Food Network’s “What’s Hot!, What’s Cool!,” MTV’s Celebrity Spring Break Style special with Lindsay Lohan, MSNBC’s Entertainment Hot List, Discovery Channel’s Party Planner with David Tutera, FUSE TV’s One Year Anniversary live on IMX, What’s Hot in the Hamptons with Gina Glickman, and an NBC News feature on the hottest trends in entertainment at the Biz Bash Event Style Show.
