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Laurie Ongaro Zerga, chief culinary officer of CHEF-K, Inc. comes from a family of great Italian cooks. She learned to chop, dice, and prepare meals for large groups.

All year round she helped grow food for the family table. “One of the most significant traditions she learned growing up on a farm was the importance of fresh and seasonal ingredients,” she said. “We raised vegetables and animals for meat, eggs, and milk.

While raising two daughters, Laurie was a full-time executive at Charles Schwab & Co, Inc. “My priority was healthy eating at home.” 20 years later she still shares her passion for food through culinary education for kids. The curriculum she developed is the link to a longer healthier life. Through Chef-K she and her team have trained almost 25,000 children and families nationally and internationally.

Selected Guest Appearances:

• Military One Source PodCast/Video Series Department of Defense, Family Services 2-part series “Faster than Fast Food”
• Fox Network, “Bay Area People” KTVU “Kids Cooking for Life”
• Fox Network, Good Day Dallas, guest speaker “Kids and Veggies, Zesty Cabbage Salad”
• ABC channel 7 KGO program View from the Bay, “Life out of Veggies”
• ABC channel 7 KGO program View from the Bay; “After School Snacks: Healthy Solutions”
• Tavis Smiley, Road to Health, Nutrition Pavilion – guest speaker
• Grapevine Radio, Healthy Wealthy Wow, guest speaker, “Teaching kids to Cook”
• Department of Defense, Family Services on a 2-part series “Faster than Fast Food” shared on Military One Source.

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Carla Puentes is passionate about helping kids learn to love preparing, cooking, and eating healthy foods. Born and raised on a Texas ranch, her love for rural life shaped her values of hard work, loyalty, and empathy. A mother of five and grandmother of three, Carla has spent her life helping others through health coaching, relationship seminars, and leadership workshops.

For the past seven years, she has focused on health coaching, particularly teaching children the importance of healthy eating habits. Her warmth, generosity, and passion for service inspire others to create more supportive and caring communities.

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Destany is our newest Chef-K team member, joining us from Colorado in the summer of 2024.

She has a diverse background from medical assistant to Design specialist for homeowners remodeling to Culinary instruction.

She brings her passion as a team leader for health and freedom to everything she does as a mom, health educator, and Chef-K instructor.

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Chef Lili Rollins is a seasoned culinary professional with decades of experience in the food industry. Trained in culinary and pastry arts, she began her career working alongside Martin Yan and later ran two cooking schools.

A respected figure in the industry, she is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, past president of the San Francisco Professional Food Society, and a volunteer trainer for The Bread Project. Lili joined CHEF-K in 2009 making her our longest-standing instructor. She teaches children and military families cooking skills. Her greatest joy comes from inspiring confidence in her students, in the kitchen, and life.

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Lisa has taught children cooking, gardening, herbalism, and wilderness skills for over 25 years. The comprehensive gardening program she started for K-8 grade students in her Northern California hometown thrives after 25 years.

She owns the School Garden Company which sells Superhealer, an organic skin remedy, and writes for various publications including her blog, Food, Farms & Families (link https://lisaludwigsen.substack.com/). She enjoys cooking and eating with children of all ages!

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Megan has enjoyed cooking since she was a child. In fact, she was the inspiration for Chef-K when, in middle school, she wanted to learn to cook and all that was available for kids was Mac’ N ‘Cheese and pizza.

Over the years she has helped with Chef-K, assisting with classes and coordinating behind the scenes. She currently supports the team in the office with a focus on marketing. When culinary inspiration hits, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen and feeding her friends and book clubs.

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René Matthew was born and raised in South Africa. She emigrated to the U.S and after working in corporate America, she started her culinary career by opening a small dessert business “Room for Dessert” to sell her desserts. She worked with caterers, restaurants, and supermarkets for many years.

Since 2011, René has been an instructor for Chef-K, teaching healthy cooking to children at various Air Force bases,in the U.S. and abroad. Teaching at Air Force bases is one of the highlights of her culinary career. René also gives cooking classes at her home.

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Ross Kassebaum joined the Chef-K team in 2019. He has been a dedicated culinary instructor at Foothill High School in Pleasanton, CA, and continues on the Chef-K Team. ​ With a diverse background, he holds degrees in Criminal Justice Administration, Administration of Justice/Corrections, and Culinary Arts. ​

Ross has extensive experience in law enforcement, having served as a police officer in Berkeley, CA, for over two decades. His career also includes roles as a cook/prep chef and recreation supervisor, showcasing his versatility and commitment to community service and education.

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Victoria joined the Chef-K team in 2024 as the Camp Coordinator, ensuring the success of cooking camps behind the scenes. She manages logistics by coordinating with leaders across the U.S. and beyond to ensure smooth operations. Residing in California,

Victoria balances her role at Chef-K with her studies, as she is pursuing a career in accounting. Her organizational skills and attention to detail make her an essential part of the team, contributing to the seamless execution of the camps. Victoria is passionate about supporting Chef-K’s mission and of course, eating delicious healthy food!