The Chefs
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Chef Nikos Moulinos
Nikos Moulinos, born in New Jersey, but raised in Corfu, Greece for 15 years, started his culinary adventure in 2007 at a local restaurant as a server and a prep cook. In 2009 he decided to join a culinary school, while still in Greece. Being heavily influenced by his family’s cooking, most notably his parents and grandparents, and of course his heritage, he went on to work in some of the most prestigious hotels and restaurants in the country and gained experience by moving up through the ranks. In 2011 he then decided it was time to move back to America, more specifically Hyde Park, NY, in order to attend The Culinary Institute of America. At CIA he was able to expand his knowledge and gain a second degree in culinary arts, as well as a minor in baking.
This move was quite difficult, but well worth it when he was able to land a job in one of acclaimed Chef’s Daniel Boulud, restaurants, Boulud Sud in New York City. He remained there for two years, working under Executive
Chef Travis Swikard, and a very solid team. It was there where he continued to hone his craft and skills in Mediterranean cuisine. After Boulud Sud, he got a job at world renowned Chef, Eric Ripert’s, Le Bernardin. He worked under Chefs Chris Muller and Eric Gestel for another two years, rotating through the restaurants’ stations and wine bar (Aldo Sohm), before planning his next move.
After a few months of discussing and planning, Nikos moved to Southern California in March 2015. Doing so, he was able to rebrand one restaurant, and open another one, all under the same hotel, where he was the Chef De Cuisine and oversaw all operations. Additionally, he helped open and run one more restaurant before his time was over. After 3 years in California, and multiple discussions with his fiancée (Shelly), they decided to take up a new challenge and relocate to Washington DC. Moving to DC, he reconnected with an old-time friend of his from CIA, Chef Kwame Onwuachi, and started working together again, at Kith/Kin at the Intercontinental, for about 2 years, and explore the Afro-Caribbean cuisine.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, an opportunity came around for Chef Nikos to be part of a Greek restaurant. The name of it was Taverna Restaurant (Palo Alto) and after much consideration, him and Shelly packed up their belongings and moved back to California, this time to the Bay area. To this day, he is the Executive Chef, where he oversees all restaurant outlets, enjoys working with people who have the same passion for food and knowledge, and when given the chance he will always be the first one to contribute and give back to his community through various activities (charity events, help at churches/shelters, etc).
Chef Sachin Chopra
Few restaurateurs have what it takes to garner a Michelin star right out of the gate. But that's just what Sachin Chopra accomplished when he opened his first restaurant in California back in 2010, All Spice.
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The very personal restaurant is a reflection of his culture, training and forthright approach to cooking. At All Spice, he is blazing a new trail in cuisine. He refuses to be hemmed in by categories; he wants his food to speak for itself. Although Indian by heritage, his food is not necessarily that. Although classically French trained, Sachin’s techniques are not defined solely in that manner, either. Instead, his style is modern, elegant and expressive, inspired by local ingredients, global flavors and his own spirited imagination.
He got his start working in kitchens in his native India, and then went on to graduate from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He honed his abilities working the line at famed four-star Daniel in Manhattan, impressing Chef de Cuisine
Alex Lee with his ability to meld Indian flavors with French classics. Over many years working in New York City and then the San Francisco Bay Area, Sachin continued to develop his signature style: delicious, flavorful food made with integrity and served with artistic flair.
Throughout his career, Sachin has always been a forward-thinking chef never afraid to break with conformity. Sachin’s deft reimagining of All Spice’s cuisine allowed the restaurant to survive the difficult first years of the Covid-19 pandemic, with offerings that changed with shifting regulations. His latest project, a casual café, was developed during those hard times. Called Pilot Light, it is now open at the Half Moon Bay airport, serving breakfast and lunch with fine dining flair.
Thanks to the support of All Spice’s and Pilot Light’s fans, Sachin has a platform on which to continue to develop his dreams. He invites you to join him on this journey and see what comes next.
Chef Isaac Karachepone
With more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Isaac has enjoyed leading teams in both back-of-house and front-of-house operations. His experiences range from fine dining to high-volume operations in India, Singapore, Australia and cities across the United States, including New York, Boston, New Haven, Las Vegas, and Washington DC before taking up his current role as the Operations Manager for Event Services and Executive Dining at Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, CA.
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Isaac earned his degree in hotel management from The Institute of Hotel Management, Chennai, India, in addition to a degree in culinary arts from The Culinary Institute of America in New York.
Isaac hails from the South Indian state of Kerala, known for its natural beauty, tourism and hospitality as well as being the historical epicenter of the spice trade. These influences in his formative years led to a natural gravitation to an interest in cuisine and the restaurant industry.
His interests include exploring cultures through cuisine, music and art, relishing the journey as much as the destination. An avid tennis player, artist, and cook, Isaac shares his love of travel and the outdoors with his wife, Lizabeth.