Meet the Faculty
Steve Griffiths / Program Director
Steve Griffiths gained his culinary experience from the kitchens of the Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, The Crowne Plaza Hotel, and Legal Sea Foods of Boston. In addition to holding Executive Chef, Chef Garde Manger, and Banquet Chef positions, he brings several years of teaching experience to the students of EMCC. As an instructor he has coached several student teams for the ACF Junior Hot Food Competition, as well as the winning team at the 2002 National Collegiate Ice Carving Championships. Steve received his AAS in Culinary Arts from White Mountains Community College and BAS from Arizona State University, with further training at the Notter School of Pastry Arts, The French Pastry School, and 2006 World Pastry Forum. He has won several awards for ice sculpture, including fourth place in the single block competition at the 2004 World Ice Art Championships in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Jon Hill / Faculty
Chef Hill joined Estrella Mountain Community College Faculty to develop the culinary arts program in the summer of 2002. Jon is retired from nearly two decades as an Executive Chef with Westin Hotels and Resorts Inc. Jon is also the former White House Executive Chef for President Ronald Reagan. Before joining EMCC, he was the Executive Chef of the Wigwam Resort from 1992 to 2002. He holds a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.Ed.) from Grand Canyon University, a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from University of Phoenix, and an Associate of Science Degree from The University of Hawaii in Food Service. Jon is a graduate of the 4 year culinary apprenticeship program at The Greenbrier Hotel Culinary Academy. He participated in the James Beard "Great Resort Chefs 2000 Series" in New York City. Jon is recipient of the Escoffier Gold Medal in pulled sugar from The New York Food Salon competition. ChefHill is a Certified Executive Chef with the American Culinary Federation and a Certified Food and Beverage Executive with the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute.
Susan Kolman / Adjunct Faculty
Pastry Chef Susan Kolman loves every moment spent in a kitchen. After successfully climbing the corporate ladder in an international consulting firm, Susan traded in her business suits and briefcase for chef coats, pastry bags and more fun than she ever believed possible. Her love of baking led her to the Pastry Arts program at L'Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland where she graduated with honors. Following completion of her formal pastry training, Susan became the Pastry Chef for several well-respected restaurants in Washington, DC and subsequently had the honor of becoming Assistant Corporate Pastry Chef for Albert Uster Imports. Her work won rave reviews in the Washington Post and Washingtonian Magazine, although for Susan, the best reviews come from happy guests and the sight of scraped-clean plates returning to the kitchen. She enjoys sharing her passion through teaching, including The Notter School for Pastry Arts in Orlando, FL. She has trained under and worked closely with a number of the top pastry chefs in the world including Anil Rohira, Ewald Notter and En Ming Hsu. Susan moved from Washington, DC to Scottsdale, AZ in July, 2008.
William Stein / Adjunct Faculty
William Stein joined Estrella Mountain Community College in 2009 as an adjunct instructor. He has an extensive business background and brings a unique perspective to the program. William holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Science in Industrial Management from Northern Illinois University. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from University of Phoenix. William first became acquainted with the Culinary Studies Program in 2005 and completed an Associate in Applied Science - Culinary Studies in 2008. He works as a contract chef with local catering companies. A passionate, self-described "foodie" and budding wine aficionado, William is a Certified Associate Wine Steward with the Federation of Dining Room Professionals and is working toward Sommelier certification with the International Sommelier Guild.
Vince Tinajero / Adjunct Faculty
Vince Tinajero joined Estrella Mountain Community College in January 2011 as adjunct instructor for Quality Sanitation Management (HRM244). He is the owner of Arizona Food Safety Professionals, a restaurant consultation company located in Chandler, Arizona. He is a registered Certified Instructor and Proctor for both ServSafe and Prometric. Vince was previously the owner and CEO of Awesome Eateries LLC, a deli and catering company operating in Southern California. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Phoenix and is a member of the American Culinary Federation (ACF).
Doug Delong / Adjunct Faculty
Doug joined EMCC as an adjunct instructor in January of 2011. Doug's hotel/hospitality experience spans 28 years and began at the Mobil Five Star and AAA 5 Diamond Wigwam Resort. He spent 18 years at the Wigwam Resort and held numerous positions ranging from bus person to director of food and beverage. During his tenure at the Wigwam, he was selected from a pool of 70 plus managers to spearhead a new resort-wide quality assurance program. This position afforded Doug the opportunity to learn every aspect of the resort business. Doug also worked at the 4 Diamond CopperWynd Resort for 7 years including 4 years as the general manager. Doug attended EMCC, completed the Total Quality Management Program, The 5 course AH & LA Food and Beverage Departmental Specialization Certificate, and various other hospitality courses.
