Chef Brad Peters; CFBE, FMP, FSP - Celebrity Chef & Consultant - Birmingham, AL

www.ChefBradOnline.com
Chef Brad got his first taste of the kitchen growing up and having to help get dinner ready for the family because both mom and dad worked. During those early teen years the family suffered through the experimentation with spices and catching the kitchen on fire, but Chef Brad forged forward and kept on experimenting. After all these failures in the kitchen, the culinary field was far from his mind as a career. Following high school graduation from Lexington High School in Lexington, SC, Chef Brad went out job hunting for the summer and interviewed for several jobs relating to computer science which was his interest and hopeful major in college, but he had no luck… too young or not enough experience. So Chef Brad’s father suggested he go apply for a job at McDonald’s or Burger King. Chef Brad stated; ” I will never serve food for a living.” From that time on till the current day he cannot live that quote down. 
 Still not planning to enter the culinary field, Chef Brad attended Midlands Technical College and the University of South Carolina with a major of business and a minor in Computer Science. During that time in college Chef Brad started working at a local hotel as a doorman and barback part time in the nightclub. During that time the General Manager tried over and over to get Chef Brad to start working full time for the hotel and Chef Brad turned it down over and over. After a year and a half Chef Brad gave in and agreed. The general manager of the hotel put him behind the front desk for a month and then came to him and told him that he was going to turn his life upside down – “You are the new AM Restaurant Manager.” Chef Brad agreed but stated that he had no experience in the restaurant business, but the manger assured Brad that they would train him. So that started his career in the hospitality business. Through the years Chef Brad worked for several management companies over the southeast holding positions from Executive Housekeeper to General Manager. In 1993 Chef Brad was contacted by Wilson Hotel Management to come to Birmingham as fix problems that they had with the food and beverage operation at the Holiday Inn Airport property. So Chef Brad closed his consulting business in Jacksonville, Florida and moved to Birmingham. After moving to Birmingham Chef Brad decided to make the Magic City his home. During the past 14 years Chef Brad has worked with Christian’s in the Tutwiller, the Historic Holiday Inn Redmont, Alabama Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association. Chef Brad also serves on a number of Advisory Boards, Committees, Charity Events and has received various awards.
Honors & Awards:

Board of Directors:
Greater Birmingham Lodging Association – 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
American Culinary Federation – Birmingham, AL Chapter – 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
Professional Sales Association – 2005, 2006, 2007


Advisory Boards:
United Way Central Alabama Task for Self Sufficiency, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
Community Kitchens Culinary Program, 1999, 2000
Alabama Food Safety Council, 2000, 2001, 2002
Homewood Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors – 2001, 2002

Education:
Birmingham Jefferson School to Career Partnership – Hospitality Committee Chair, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Birmingham City Schools Food Service Craft Committee Chair, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Jefferson State Community College – Hotel/Culinary Program – Advisory Board Chair, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
Culinard, The Culinary Institute of Virginia College – Advisory Board, 2001

Charity Events:
American Heart Association Birmingham Heart Ball, 2001
March of Dimes Star Chefs of Birmingham, 2001
National Kidney Foundation – Master Chef Dinner with Chef John Folse, CEC, AAC, 2000
American Liver Foundation – Flavors of Alabama Dinner March of Dimes/Alabama, 1999, 2000, 2001
Alabama Peanut Producers – Southern Women’s Show cooking demos, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002,2004, 2006
Judge for the National Peanut Festival’s recipe contest, 2000, 2001, 2002,2003, 2004
Star Chefs of Birmingham Planning, 2001
Taste of the Nation – 1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006
UCP Charish Event – 2005
Alabama Wild Life Federations – “Wild About Chocolate Night” – 2004, 2006
Alabama Symphony “Decorators Show House” – 2005, 2005
Taste of Homewood – 2001, 2002
Taste of Birmingham – 1997, 1998, 1999
Zoobilee/Zoo Gala – 1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001

Committee Awards and Honors:
Birmingham–Jefferson Restaurant Association Restaurateur of the Year 1996
2000 Culinarian of the Year – American Culinary Federation – Birmingham, Alabama Chapter
American Culinary Federation – Birmingham, Alabama Chapter – Chapter Achievement Award, 2000, 2001
Alabama Peanut Producers Official Peanut Chef – 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Homewood Chamber of Commerce Member of the Year – 2001
Birmingham Business Journals Top 40 Under 40 – 2001
Birmingham Business Journal Largest Birmingham-based Dot-Com Companies – 2001 (5th largest), 2002(2nd largest)
Birmingham Business Journal Largest Catering Companies – 2nd Largest – 2001, 2002
Sysco of Central Alabama Hot Foods Competition – 1st Place – 2005

Worked with these Guest Chef’s from 1990- Present:

Kevin Graham – Grains, Rice and Beans
Norman Van Aiken – The Great Exotic Fruit Book
John D. Folse, CEC – The Evolution of Cajun & Creole Cuisine, Hot Beignets & Warm Boudoirs, Sweet Water Plantation
Roseanne Gold – The Rainbow Room
Herbert Keller – The Cuisine of Hubert Keller, The French Laundry
TV/Radio/Print/Web

Television Appearances:

WBRC Fox 6 – Birmingham, Alabama – 1994 to Present

WVTM NBC-13 – Birmingham, Alabama – 1994 to Present

KGWM CBS 5 – Cheyenne, WY – 2002, 2003, 2004

KOLO ABC 8 – Reno, NV – 2002, 2003, 2004

WTOK ABC 11 – Meridian Ms – 2002, 2003, 2004

WSAW CBS 7 – Wausau, WI – 2002, 2003, 2004

KAKE ABC 10 – Wichita, KS – 2002, 2003, 2004

KUPK ABC 13 – Garden City KS – 2002, 2003, 2004

KLBY ABC 4 – Wichita, KS – 2002, 2003, 2004

WCTV CBS – Tallahassee, FL – 2002, 2003, 2004

WTVY CBS 4 – Dothan, Alabama – 1998 – 2006

KWTX CBS 10 – Wacco TX – 2002, 2003, 2004

WIBW CBS 13 – Topeka, KS – 2002, 2003, 2004

WBKO FOX/CW 10 – Franklin, KY – 2002, 2003, 2004

KKTV CBS 11 – Colorado Springs, CO – 2002, 2003, 2004

WILX NBC 10 – Lansing/Jackson MI – 2002, 2003, 2004

Article’s Published:

Birmingham Business Journal – April 2, 1999 -”Shelby County Gobbling Up Restaurants”

Birmingham Business Journal – April 1, 2002 – “Area Restaurant growth fueled by economy.”

Birmingham Business Journal – September 4, 2000 – “Business travelers have more choices than ever.”

Birmingham Business Journal – September 3, 2001 – “The Good, The Bad and sometimes The Delicious”

Birmingham Business Journal – October 9, 2001 – “Upscale Sunday Dinner a Rarity – but it does exist.”

Birmingham Business Journal- November 12, 2001 – “Event Planning 101: Fear of Dealing with a Caterer”
10 Years +
Yes
Catering, Hotel, Country Club and Free Standing Restaurant
Classic French, Southwestern American, Southern, Jewish and Fusion
Grandmother and Mother

Gallery

Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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Celebrity Chefs Tour - Disney's California 2010 Food & Wine Fest
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