PARTICIPANTS

The following chefs have been selected as finalists and will compete live on September 25, 2007 in the Battle of the Hospital Chefs.

Chef Mark C. Abbott
Silver Chef Award
General Manager, Food Services
St. Mary’s Health Care System
Athens, Georgia
Chef Abbott began his education in electrical engineering at the University of Alabama, but his love for the culinary arts prevailed. He earned his Dietetic Manager Certification from Auburn University and started his career as an Executive Chef with a retirement community in Birmingham, Alabama, where he quickly rose to the position of Food Service Director.

From there he went to the operations side with the University of Alabama Hospital, a 1,200-bed teaching hospital, where he was named Overall Manager of the Year. As for Chef Abbott's electrical engineering background, it became relevant when he was directly involved in the design of the retail food areas for three hospitals during his time with the Baptist Health System of Central Alabama.

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Chef William Read
Gold Chef Award Winner
Executive Chef
Saint Mary’s Healthcare
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Chef Read joined the staff at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in 1996. His impressive skills and culinary talents quickly proved his mettle. After working in both Tinseltown, and The 1913 Room, he took on the role of Chef de Cuisine of the hotel’s popular sports bar, GP Sports. In 2002 he ascended to the pinnacle of the hotel as Chef de Cuisine of Cygnus, where his talents really shined in the informal fine cuisine featured at this lofty restaurant in the sky.

He then progressed in 2003 to the climax of the hotel, the high volume Main Kitchen, as Banquet Sous Chef, where all weddings, banquets and conventions are prepared. In this setting is where his organizational culinary skills sparkled and took shape into beautiful culinary delights. Most recently Chef Read became Executive Chef of Saint Mary’s Healthcare, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, overseeing all aspects of patient meals, staff cafeteria, and special events and catering.

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Chef David Rensi
Bronze Chef Award
Executive Chef
St. Joseph Mercy Hospital
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Chef David Rensi had a passion for cooking early and began his career as a teenager. His resume reflects an eclectic background of culinary styles and includes Sous Chef positions at an elegant Michigan country club and a fashionable Detroit restaurant. A graduate of Washtenaw Community College’s Culinary School, Chef Rensi once served as the Executive Chef at the regionally renowned Cousin’s Heritage Inn in Dexter, Michigan. Set in a beautifully restored 19th century Greek revival home with just 80 seats, Cousins was consistently voted one of Detroit’s most romantic restaurants. At the end of his tenure at Cousin’s Heritage Inn, the restaurant was ranked 4th in the State of Michigan by Gourmet Magazine.

In October of 1999, Chef Rensi opened an authentic European-style bakery in Brighton, Michigan. Anjou Bakery featured over 20 distinctive varieties of breads and a vast array of pastries. Chef Rensi is currently the Executive Chef at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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