CHARA GAFFORD

President

After receiving her bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of Chicago she decided to pursue her passion for food and received her AAS in Culinary Arts from The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago. She trained at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Chicago as well as with A la Baker catering company. Before launching Urban Chef, Chara owned Artisan Cakes, a specialty wedding cake company. Chara has been a volunteer with Recipe for Success and served as the co-president of the Houston chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier, an international association for professional women in the culinary industry. She currently serves on the board of The Catastrophic Theatre.

Jada Glasby

Executive Chef

Chef Jada Cre joined the urbanCHEF team in 2017.  After realizing her true dream was to be immersed in food, Jada left her job as an accountant to receive a degree from the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, CA. Jada's passion is helping people expand their palates by trying new ingredients. Her favorite style of cuisine is Pacific Rim which she describes as “Asian flavors and techniques mixed with the West Coast’s love of fresh produce.” However, Jada can’t forget about her Southern roots and her love for those classics as well. When she’s not teaching or cooking as a private chef, she enjoys coaching elementary and middle school kids for her sister’s step team organization.

Whitney Hughlett

Chef Instructor

Whitney's work experience has ranged from film and photography work to audit work for mortgage servicing before pursuing her love of baking and receiving a degree from the Auguste Escoffier Culinary School. She got her start in the culinary world at the Heights Beer Garden and continues to partner with chefs preparing breads cakes and cookies.

Aylin Contreras

Chef Instructor

Chef Aylin began cooking when she was 6 years old and has enjoyed it ever since! She graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio and has worked at Disney Resorts in Orlando and most recently at Lazy Dog in Houston. She has always wanted to teach cooking classes and is excited to join the urbanCHEF team!

BARBARA SUAREZ

Chef Instructor

Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, her interest in cooking and the art of sugar began at an early age of five when she was introduced to cooking by introduced by my mother.  She first studied Civil Engineering but decided that her true passion was to become a chef.  After moving to Boston she received an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts from Newbury College. After moving to Houston she founded managed a wedding cake company earning "Houston's Best Wedding Cake Business" in 2007 and 2010. For the last three years she has been traveling and the world, teaching in France and Columbia and learning about food and their cultures. She loves teaching and enjoys turning food into art.

Sabra Palmros

Associate

Sabra grew up learning and loving to cook in her Grandmothers kitchen. Her career began in Port Aransas at the Historic Tarpon Inn and Beulah’s Restaurants where she was immersed in Gulf Coast seafood and Island Cuisine, and fishing of course!
She moved to New Orleans to pursue an AAS degree in Culinary Arts at Delgado C.C. where she graduated with honors. This lead to an apprenticeship at Palace Cafe and helping open Smith & Wollensky Restaurant.
She relocated to Houston to help open another S&W, becoming Executive Sous Chef and learning the fine art of dry aging beef and butchering and spent 20 years with the S&W Restaurant Group.
Her other passion is volunteering with local rescues saving homeless animals from the streets of Houston.

Collin Fullen

Associate

Collin is a Houston native who has always enjoyed the restaurant world and has worked as a cook at Snooze Eatery and as a math tutor. He is currently an undeclared major at Harvard University.

Joshua Perrier

Associate

Joshua is originally from New Orleans and his passion for seafood got him hooked in the culinary world. He's worked in Houston area restaurants and catering since 2015 including Texas Road House. He received his bachelor's degree from Jarvis Christian College where he studied business administration. He is now pursuing a Master's Degree in Sociology at Jarvis Christian.