John Allen was born in Minnesota and grew up and graduated from high school in Colorado. He was assistant golf professional at Wee Burn Country Club in Darian, Conn., for 3 years then moved to California in 1964 where he earned a BA degree in Biology at San Francisco Sate University in 1970, and a secondary teaching credential in 1971. He worked his way through school working in restaurants and enjoyed cooking more than high school students. After he went through the Culinary Program here at CCC he was hired as Assistant Head Chef at the Caprice in Tiburon; Head Chef at the Belvedere in Santa Rosa and Assistant Pastry Chef at Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.
He opened his own bakery in 1979 and sold it in 1986 and became a part-time pastry instructor at CCC which led to a full time position at CCC for the last 20 years.

---

Anoosheh Borhan

A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, Chef Nooshi Borhan has also worked at the world-renowned Fauchon Caterers. Toward the end of her studies at Le Cordon Bleu, she worked there as Chef's Assistant, before moving on to a position as Sous-Chef at La Priori-The in the famous Galerie Vivienne. Upon her return from France in 1999, she launched Sofre Catering, which she continues to operate today. In creating Sofre's menus, Nooshi draws on her wealth of travel and culinary experiences in France, Italy, Japan, Thailand, Greece and Iran. Before beginning her culinary career, Nooshi was a student at UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University where she received a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology and a Master's in Teaching English as a Second Language. She has been teaching ESL for Culinary Arts at Laney College in Oakland since 2000. She has been with the Contra Costa College Culinary Arts department since 2003.

---

Joyce Edwards

Joyce was raised in Ohio and came west in the ‘60’s. She graduated CCC in Liberal Arts with President’s Honors in 2004 and went on to receive her BA in Management with honors from Saint Mary’s College. Joyce has been with the Culinary Arts Department since 2005 and works with the students in training them in cash handling procedures for the operation of Culinary’s restaurant and espresso bar. As Instructional Assistant, she also facilitates the catering and special events hosted by the department.

---

Bill Johnson

I retired from the U. S. Postal Service in 1992 after thirty six years of service.  I had always dabbled in cooking and decided to improve my culinary skills by enrolling in the Culinary Arts Program at Contra Costa College.

After graduating in 1994, I was asked by the department head to join the Culinary Arts staff.  My background as Postal Education and Development Manager and Employee Involvement Facilitator, combined with my culinary training, provided me with the skills needed for my assignment as Foodservice Supervisor.  In this assignment, I instructed and assisted disabled students.   In the 1996 fall semester, I became an instructor and taught Culinary Arts 120.

In January 2004, my service with Contra Costa College was no longer required. I resumed employment with Contra Costa College in the Culinary Arts department as an instructor teaching Culinary Arts 120 in the 2006 fall semester.

Nader Sharkes,
Department Chair

For more than fifteen years, Chef Nader Sharkes' name has been synonymous with the respected Hotel and Restaurant Management Program at Diablo Valley College (DVC), where he taught advanced foods and was department chair. Many of Sharkes' students have gone on to establish themselves as successful professionals in the hospitality industry.

While at DVC, Nader established important links with the restaurant community and helped to set up the renowned Taste of Diablo, a yearly event spotlighting the college and Northern California's restaurant and wine industry which, at its height, brought as many as 1,000 visitors to the DVC campus.

Prior to joining DVC, Nader worked professionally in the restaurant and hotel industry around the world.

He was trained in London, England while attending school and earned a bachelor's degree in Social Studies/Language.

He developed an interest in culinary arts and went on in this field in France, Switzerland, England and the United States, completing various food service and nutrition programs to add to his wealth of knowledge.

Sharkes worked as banquet chef at the prestigious Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City and then went on to become executive chef at the Roosevelt Hotel there. He also worked as executive chef at La Sommet Restaurant in San Mateo and as a consultant for research and development for the Del Monte Corporation. He opened Orpee Restaurant, a fine dining establishment, in 1989, at the same time serving as part-time chef instructor at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg.

A California Restaurant Association Educator of the year, Sharkes was awarded the Anton Creme Metal in 1997