Rochelle Huppin
Encyclopedia
Rochelle Huppin is a chef and restaurateur with businesses based in Chicago, Illinois, and Culver City, California
. She is considered to have "revolutionized" modern culinary apparel by creating and introducing into the industry clothing made of natural fabrics with contemporary, cutting-edge designs. She is founder and President of Chefwear, Inc.
, Rochelle Huppin graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA) in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Languages. She also holds a B.S. from the University of Judaism
in Los Angeles. She subsequently attended the Culinary Institute of America
in Hyde Parke, New York. Huppin graduated from the CIA with honors in 1987, with an advanced degree in Culinary Arts and went on to specialize in pastry. Rochelle co-wrote the pastry menu and oversaw the pastry chef at the now defunct Beacon Restaurant in Culver City. She was one of the general partners of Beacon with Kazuto Matsusaka & Vicki Fan. Rochelle is the Founder and President of Chefwear, a company that produces contemporary and traditional chef clothing. Rochelle is a former Board Member of The American Institute of Wine & Food. Huppin currently serves on the Board of Directors of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. She is the President-Elect of the organization and will begin her presidency in the fall of 2011.
's Citrus Restaurant during the year it opened on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles
. She later returned to the Hotel Bel-Air as Assistant Pastry Chef and was subsequently promoted to Executive Pastry Chef, working alongside the hotel's Executive Chef George Morrone
. Following this, Huppin worked as the Pastry Chef at Angeli Restaurant for Evan Kleiman http://www.kcrw.com/people/kleiman_evan?role=host, before heading to Northern California
to serve as the opening pastry Chef for Bradley Ogden http://www.chefbradleyogden.com/ and Michael Dellar's http://www.chefdb.com/nm/6392/Michael-Dellar Lark Creek Inn http://www.tavernatlarkcreek.com/ in Larkspur, California
. Rochelle then moved back to Los Angeles to work for Wolfgang Puck
& Barbara Lazaroff http://barbaralazaroff.com/ at their restaurants: Spago, located in West Hollywood at the time and Chinois on Main http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/fine-dining/3654, in Santa Monica, California
. Huppin served on the opening crew for their next two ventures: Eureka restaurant in West Los Angeles and Granita restaurant in Malibu
. Huppin has participated in the opening of nearly a dozen restaurants.
” charity event in Los Angeles she gave out pairs of pants to several prominent chefs in attendance including Bobby Flay
, Jonathan Waxman
, Jody Denton, Marc Valiani and Wolfgang Puck himself. Soon after, Huppin began receiving requests from other chefs for her pants. This led to the creation in 1990, of Chefwear, Inc. Huppin initially ran the business out of her Santa Monica, California
, guesthouse, subsequently moving operations to Venice, California. By 1992, the growing business moved to Chicago, Illinois, and remained there until two years ago. Since the company's inception Huppin has served as the President and her husband, Gary Fleck, would eventually become the Chief Executive Officer. Chefwear’s catalog currently encompasses products for the professional chef and the recreational cook. More recently, three more lines were launched: a shoe line, an Eco-friendly line and Barwear – a new line dedicated to bar chefs and mixologists. Huppin and Fleck divorced in 2006 but continue to run the company together, with Huppin as president and Fleck as CEO. In the spring of 2009, Chefwear moved from their base in Chicago to a new and larger facility in Addison, Illinois
, as it needed more space for growth and expansion. In January 2010, Chefwear reached its 20th anniversary.
Huppin was the Executive Pastry Chef and founding partner of Beacon, an Asian-inspired café in the Helms Bakery complex in Culver City, California. She worked alongside her partners: Executive Chef Kazuto Matsusaka, General Manager Vicki Fan and Pastry Chef Lorraine Tajiri. The restaurant closed in January, 2011, after a seven year run.
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
. She is considered to have "revolutionized" modern culinary apparel by creating and introducing into the industry clothing made of natural fabrics with contemporary, cutting-edge designs. She is founder and President of Chefwear, Inc.
Biography
A native of Spokane, WashingtonSpokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, Rochelle Huppin graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
(UCLA) in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Languages. She also holds a B.S. from the University of Judaism
University of Judaism
The American Jewish University, formerly the separate institutions University of Judaism and Brandeis-Bardin Institute, is a Jewish, non-denominational educational institution in Los Angeles, California....
in Los Angeles. She subsequently attended the Culinary Institute of America
Culinary Institute of America
The Culinary Institute of America is a non-profit culinary college located in Hyde Park USA, founded in 1946. The CIA also has branch campuses in St. Helena, California, and San Antonio, Texas, as well as a campus in Singapore. It is a not-for-profit academic institution of higher learning...
in Hyde Parke, New York. Huppin graduated from the CIA with honors in 1987, with an advanced degree in Culinary Arts and went on to specialize in pastry. Rochelle co-wrote the pastry menu and oversaw the pastry chef at the now defunct Beacon Restaurant in Culver City. She was one of the general partners of Beacon with Kazuto Matsusaka & Vicki Fan. Rochelle is the Founder and President of Chefwear, a company that produces contemporary and traditional chef clothing. Rochelle is a former Board Member of The American Institute of Wine & Food. Huppin currently serves on the Board of Directors of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs. She is the President-Elect of the organization and will begin her presidency in the fall of 2011.
Culinary background
Huppin worked part time during her senior year at UCLA, planting and tending the first herb garden at the Hotel Bel-Air. She then attended the Culinary Institute of America. In 1987, upon graduation from the CIA, Huppin secured the position of Pastry Assistant with Michel RichardMichel Richard
Michel Richard is a French-born chef, and is formerly the owner of the restaurant Citrus in Los Angeles. He currently owns the award-winning restaurant, Citronelle in Georgetown and Carmel, and Central in Las Vegas, NV and Washington, D.C.-Biography:...
's Citrus Restaurant during the year it opened on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. She later returned to the Hotel Bel-Air as Assistant Pastry Chef and was subsequently promoted to Executive Pastry Chef, working alongside the hotel's Executive Chef George Morrone
George Morrone
George Morrone is an award-winning American chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author. He was the founding chef at the famous Aqua Restaurant in San Francisco, and famous chef, Michael Mina, was his protege. He has also been chef at San Francisco restaurants, Fifth Floor and Redwood Park...
. Following this, Huppin worked as the Pastry Chef at Angeli Restaurant for Evan Kleiman http://www.kcrw.com/people/kleiman_evan?role=host, before heading to Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
to serve as the opening pastry Chef for Bradley Ogden http://www.chefbradleyogden.com/ and Michael Dellar's http://www.chefdb.com/nm/6392/Michael-Dellar Lark Creek Inn http://www.tavernatlarkcreek.com/ in Larkspur, California
Larkspur, California
Larkspur is a city in Marin County, California, United States. Larkspur is located south of San Rafael, at an elevation of . As of the 2010 Census, the city's population was 11,926. Larkspur is located north of San Francisco near Mount Tamalpais. Larkspur's Police Department is shared with that...
. Rochelle then moved back to Los Angeles to work for Wolfgang Puck
Wolfgang Puck
Wolfgang Johannes Puck is an Austrian-American celebrity chef, restaurateur, businessman and occasional actor. Wolfgang Puck restaurants, catering services, cookbooks and licensed products are run by Wolfgang Puck Companies, with three divisions...
& Barbara Lazaroff http://barbaralazaroff.com/ at their restaurants: Spago, located in West Hollywood at the time and Chinois on Main http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/fine-dining/3654, in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
. Huppin served on the opening crew for their next two ventures: Eureka restaurant in West Los Angeles and Granita restaurant in Malibu
Malibu
Malibu may refer to:Places:* Malibu, Baja California, a beach in Rosarito Beach Municipality, Baja California* Malibu, British Columbia, a camp near the entrance of Princess Louisa Inlet...
. Huppin has participated in the opening of nearly a dozen restaurants.
Business
Huppin is the Founder and President of Chefwear, Inc., a company which manufactures clothing for chefs and those in the restaurant industry. While a student at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in 1985, Huppin designed her own chef's clothing as an alternative to the uncomfortable, polyester student-issue chef's uniforms of the day, which were cut for men. Using all-cotton material, Huppin continued to have pants custom-made for herself after graduation, as she began work in the culinary field. While working as a pastry chef for Wolfgang Puck several years later, Huppin shared her pant innovation with other chefs on staff. During a Wolfgang Puck “Meals on WheelsMeals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels are programs that deliver meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programs, not all of which are actually named "Meals on Wheels"...
” charity event in Los Angeles she gave out pairs of pants to several prominent chefs in attendance including Bobby Flay
Bobby Flay
Robert William "Bobby" Flay is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur and reality television personality. He is the owner and executive chef of 12 restaurants: Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, New York City, and the Bahamas ; Bar Americain in New York City and Uncasville, Connecticut; Bobby Flay Steak...
, Jonathan Waxman
Jonathan Waxman
Jonathan Waxman is an American chef who was one of the pioneers of California cuisine and is credited with being the first to bring its style, fusing French cooking techniques with the freshest local ingredients, to New York....
, Jody Denton, Marc Valiani and Wolfgang Puck himself. Soon after, Huppin began receiving requests from other chefs for her pants. This led to the creation in 1990, of Chefwear, Inc. Huppin initially ran the business out of her Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, guesthouse, subsequently moving operations to Venice, California. By 1992, the growing business moved to Chicago, Illinois, and remained there until two years ago. Since the company's inception Huppin has served as the President and her husband, Gary Fleck, would eventually become the Chief Executive Officer. Chefwear’s catalog currently encompasses products for the professional chef and the recreational cook. More recently, three more lines were launched: a shoe line, an Eco-friendly line and Barwear – a new line dedicated to bar chefs and mixologists. Huppin and Fleck divorced in 2006 but continue to run the company together, with Huppin as president and Fleck as CEO. In the spring of 2009, Chefwear moved from their base in Chicago to a new and larger facility in Addison, Illinois
Addison, Illinois
Addison is a village located west of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 35,914 at the 2000 census. The estimated population was 36,378 as of 2002.The Village of Addison lies on Salt Creek...
, as it needed more space for growth and expansion. In January 2010, Chefwear reached its 20th anniversary.
Huppin was the Executive Pastry Chef and founding partner of Beacon, an Asian-inspired café in the Helms Bakery complex in Culver City, California. She worked alongside her partners: Executive Chef Kazuto Matsusaka, General Manager Vicki Fan and Pastry Chef Lorraine Tajiri. The restaurant closed in January, 2011, after a seven year run.
Awards
- Fellow, Culinary Institute of America, 2011
- Ambassador, Culinary Institute of America, 2010
- Hannah Solomon Business Woman-of-the-Year from the National Council of Jewish Women, 2003
- Share Our Strength Sponsorship Award - 2000
- Chicago Manufacturing Center Excellence Award - 1996
- Business of the Year award Chicago Mercantile Mart—1994