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My Story

I have been a chef for almost 40 years.  And most of that time has been spent teaching others about this great love of mine:  FOOD!.

A little about my training and experiences

I graduated from the Johnson Wales Culinary Arts Program and spent almost 20 years preparing fresh food in the hospitality industry, primarily as an Executive Chef in resorts in New England. I transitioned to teaching, first at the Culinary Institute of New Hampshire College, followed by the Portland Arts & Technology High School (PATHS) where I designed a course that enabled students to run their own cafe on school days. The students learned to create a variety of meals featuring the freshest of ingredients.

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The Birth of Armand’s Kitchen

Armand’s Kitchen became a reality in 2009. I created it to pursue my joint passions of preparing fine foods and teaching students of all ages. I retired from teaching at PATHS in 2016 and soon after was hired as a private chef for a family who summers on Sebago Lake. They do a lot of entertaining, so I prepare from 4 to 22 evening meals. Retirement has also afforded me time to pursue my other passion of vegetable gardening. I maintain a small home garden but the bulk of my vegetables are grown at the Windham Community Garden. I do practice garden to table!

Interested in cooking lessons? Contact me at dougthechef@roadrunner.com