What happens when a native Californian becomes a chef, travels the planet, speaks his mind in blogs and books, records an album and generally makes a life of being a constant interpreter of what he sees, tastes, smells and thinks? Well, ask Chris Hora. After attending California Culinary Academy – Chris worked in Los Angeles for Wolfgang Puck, Hans Rockenwagner, Drai’s, Century Plaza hotel and set off to Europe. Once there chef Hora partnered on a ski chalet in the French alps, opened a California cuisine restaurant in Prague, consulted on openings in Russia, Finland, Belgium, Germany, Austria… Whilst in Prague Chris worked on an album of atmospheric and cloudy tunes as the writer and guitar player and started working on his second novel since he thought nobody would read his first one.
From there it was back to the States to work as a consulting executive chef on projects in LA, Denver, Jackson Hole, Philadelphia, Houston and New Jersey before opening his third venture in Philadelphia – Root. Then a quick detour through Baltimore en route back to LA. Once there our wondering chef headed up the Shanghai world expo as Executive Chef V.I.P. U.S. Pavilion, World Expo 2010 Shanghai, China. The work was as long as the title and gave chef Hora the opportunity to serve the only State Department dinner outside of Washington D.C. for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as well as many of the worlds dignitaries and business leaders. This was new even for chef Hora, who had previously served seven presidents.
After a couple quick consulting job in Chicago, Finland, Berlin and Prague Mr. wanderlust moved back to his beloved LA and did some work with food network on Chef Hunter and has shot a few pilots for other projects before returning to China to do a TED X talk in Hong Kong and develop and open a new restaurant in Shanghai.
Now back in California, chef Hora is now executive chef for MR. Lyons Steakhouse in Palm Springs. The story continues. Stay tuned kids.