I am a professional chef out of northern Illinois with a passion for nutrition and the outdoors. I have worked my way through the best restaurants and resorts in the country including Smyth, Boka, Blackberry Farm, Within the Wild and Emmer and Rye. I have worked in Austin, Tx, Chicago, Knoxville, TN, Charleston, Washington State, and Alaska. The key to life is adventure and being spontaneous! My curiosity has led me to being extremely versatile in having experience all over the kitchen including pastry, bread baking, bartending, and live fire cooking!

A dynamic, upbeat hospitality professional with a strong sales background and a sharp creative eye. As the owner of Bear & Mason, he specializes in brand, product, and event photography for food and beverage businesses, creating content built for websites, social media, and marketing campaigns. With years of experience in wine and beer business development across the Southeast, he brings an insider understanding of what sells, what tells a story, and what makes a brand feel premium. Whether he is photographing chefs in action, capturing a wine dinner, or supporting a beverage program through education and engagement, he shows up prepared, personable, and detail-driven.