CHEF::

Karen Mitchell has been in the restaurant business for almost 20 years. Even though she was only 16 when she was first hired to bus tables, she was determined to do her best. And she did. That work ethic is still with her today. She was recently named executive chef of William Douglas Steakhouse in Cherry Hill, NJ, a prime opportunity for this 34 year-old.

From that first clam and oyster bar in Long Island, NY to salad specialist, and everything in between, Mitchell fell in love with the restaurant business. At Johnson & Wales she completed an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts and then went on to earn an Associates Degree in Restaurant and Hotel Management.

Armed with this stellar education, she landed a less-than-glamorous job as a pantry cook for a mere $7.25 an hour.  But the opportunity to work at California Café in Garden City, NY presented a surprising opportunity. Executive Chef Michael Condon took her under his wing and taught her the ins and outs of becoming a chef.

“Being part of a new opening restaurant was an exhilarating experience,” said Mitchell. “I learned the importance of maintaining a professional environment, even to the smallest detail, like wiping down my stove after each dish and always wearing clean whites.” She moved on to open ESPN Zone in Times Square and later became executive chef at Arthur’s Landing in Weehawken, New Jersey, and then executive chef at McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant in Hackensack, New Jersey. As executive chef for William Douglas Steakhouse in Cherry Hill, Mitchell will oversee a top-notch culinary team who plan to provide an excellent steakhouse experience for the south Jersey community.