Paul Oesterle • Bryan Haymans • Darnell Tate
Bryan Varin • Dale Anderson • Persia Briones

Chef Paul Oesterle
Bolton Dining Commons
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I have always enjoyed cooking and began working in the industry when I was in high school. To further pursue my culinary interests, I attended college in Providence, Rhode Island at Johnnson & Wales University. While attending college I worked as a teaching assistant and I opened my own small restaurant. I also gained work experience in Philadelphia at a restaurant called Opus 251. During my senior year of college I travel to Versailles, France where I worked in a restaurant called Les Trois Marches for three months. I graduated from Johnson & Wales University with two bachelor's degrees, one in culinary arts and one in foodservice management. I moved to Athens in August of 2001 to work as an assistant manager at Bolton Dining Hall. As of March 1st, 2002 I was promoted to chef of Bolton Dining Commons.

Chef Bryan Haymans
The Village Summit at East Village Dining Commons
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I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Georgia in 1996 where I majored in Consumer Foods. Upon graduating I headed out west to Vail, Colorado where I attended Johnson and Wales University. Here I was one of only forty people to be accepted to their accelerated program to study Culinary Arts. I graduated culinary school in 1997 with Summa Cum Laude status. While I was in Colorado I worked for Marriott's Vail Mountain Resort as a Line Cook where I learned the basics of becoming a chef. Upon leaving Colorado I moved back to the south where I became the Executive Chef for Harris Teeter. During my two year span as Executive Chef I learned the finer points of organization, time management, managing other employees, and fine tuning my skills as a chef.

After several years of long hours I decided to take a break from the kitchen and from being a chef. Therefore, I came back to the University of Georgia to work as an Assistant Manager for Oglethorpe Dining Commons. Before long my natural calling of being a Chef and having my hands directly involved with food production brought me back into the kitchen. Now I am the Chef/Production Manager for East Village Summit at East Village Dining Commons and loving every minute of it.

Chef Darnell Tate
Oglethorpe Dining Commons
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Food services had been my dream occupation since I was a teenager. But before that dream became reality I took a slight detour, starting with a football scholarship at the University of Maryland. Many years later, I enrolled in the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts. I attended school by day and worked at the William Penn Hotel by night. On weekends I leased a kitchen in a local pub, working as a one-person staff.

Once my coursework was complete, I moved to Peachtree City, Georgia where I accepted a position as cook at the conference center, becoming part of a great staff and gaining experience designing weekly menus and serving guests from all over the world. Quickly promoted to p.m. Sous Chef, my experiences expanded to include catered weddings, private parties, upscale fine dining, a daily grand buffet, and the Governor of Georgia's Dogwood Ball.

After five years at Aberdeen Woods and one year as unit manager at Waffle House, I found a new home at the University of Georgia. As the Chef at Oglethorpe Dining Commons, I adapted my food preparation skills and talents to the award-wining university's style of service. In addition, I was recently awarded the bronze medal in the NACUFS Chef's Culinary Challenge.

Chef Bryan Varin
Snelling Dining Commons
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My culinary career began ten years ago as a student majoring in Political Science and Intercultural Studies at the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama. To help myself through school, I worked as a line cook at a restaurant called the Plaza Café. At the time, I was considering the idea of going to graduate school, but instead my love for cooking and the restaurant business steered me in a different direction. During my last semester of school, I decided that my "graduate school" would consist of attending New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont. Upon completion of my studies, I moved to Portland, Oregon where I fulfilled my internship requirements as a line cook at Higgins' Restaurant and Bar. I spent a year working alongside Chef Greg Higgins, learning the importance of using only the freshest, in season products available to us in our local area. While at Higgins' I also became a member of Chef's Collaborative 2000, a nonprofit organization committed to promoting sustainable agricultural practices and organic farming.

After completing my internship requirements, I graduated from school and relocated to Birmingham, Alabama where I accepted a line cooking position and later, a position as pastry chef at Hot and Hot Fish Club and later as a manager for a small bistro called Chez Lulu in Mountain Brook, Alabama. At that point, I decided to leave the restaurant business for a more "normal" lifestyle and accepted a position as sous chef for Aramark Business Services working under contract with the Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington. Within a few months, I was promoted to Chef-Manager. While working for Aramark, I was offered a position as a chef and production manager with the University of Washington's Food Services Department. Once there I realized that working in educational environment was the avenue I had been looking for. I relocated to Athens and became the Training Specialist for UGA Food Services. After a year in this position I was promoted to the Department's culinary team, where I presently serve as a chef and a manager at Snelling Dining Commons. It is an honor to be a member of one of the most respected and recognized college food services departments in the country.

Chef Dale Anderson, C.E.P.C.
Snelling Dining Commons
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I have been in food services all my life, beginning with helping in my parents’ salt water taffy candy shop in Myrtle Beach, SC. Next, I worked for Tiffany’s Bakery for several years before opening my own bakery at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, “The Bakery, Custom Cakes and Catering,” which I operated for 12 years. My first foray into non-commercial food service was as the cafeteria manager for Myrtle Beach High. In this capacity I was honored with the Governor’s Cup for “The School Lunch Challenge” in 1998, by the American Culinary Federation.

While receiving my business degree from Horry-Georgetown Technical College in South Carolina, I also served as an instructor in the Continuing Education program, on the Culinary Arts Department advisory board, and then on the Alumni Association Board of Directors. The South Carolina restaurant, The Sea Captain’s House, provided the setting for my pastry internship where I completed the ACF requirements to become a Certified Executive Pastry Chef (C.E.P.C.). I also served as an officer of the American Culinary Federation’s Myrtle Beach chapter, during which time I was awarded three medals for excellence.

Relocating to Georgia in 2004 to live closer to my family brought a whole new set of challenges. I began working at the University of Georgia as a member of the Food Services management team at Oglethorpe Dining Commons. After two years as an Assistant Manager, I accepted the Chef position at Snelling Dining Commons. Being a member of such an outstanding college food services department is an honor; I cannot wait to meet the challenges ahead!

Chef Persia Briones, C.W.C.
Campus Catering
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My passion for cooking began at an early age while growing up in Northern Louisiana. As a member of a large Italian family, I began working for my uncle in his restaurant.

After spending a year as a business major at Northeast Louisiana University, I yearned to return to the kitchen. In order to pursue my dream, my family and I moved so I could attend the Culinary Art Institute of Atlanta. While a student I worked as a Pastry Chef at The Evergreen Resort of Stone Mountain.

I was fortunate to have worked as a volunteer with the Food Service Division of the 1996 Olympics. During this experience I had the pleasure of working with some very talented Chefs.

Upon graduation I took a position with the world renowned Blue Willow Inn Restaurant. It was there that I developed my managerial skills and received exposure to the catering field. I was promoted to Executive Chef for their catering facility known as Magnolia Hall. This position allowed the chef to be an artist with the presentation of culinary delights. Also during this period I completed the requirements of the American Culinary Federation to become a C.W.C. –Certified Working Chef.

After a few years I opened my own private catering business. Although successful I decided to re-enter the culinary work force with the catering division at The University of Georgia. I hope to further develop my culinary skills and continue the tradition of excellence that has been established within the University of Georgia Food Services.