Chef David Dodd, MBE, CEC, CCE, HOGT
Associate Director NCHS

Chef Dodd is the Associate Director for the NCHS. He also teaches full time students the Art of Garde Manger and Basic Culinary Skills along with Baking and Pastry and oversees the Evening Weekend Culinary Program.

As the Initial Chair of the Culinary Program at the Lexington Campus he brought continuity and consistency of the standards set by the NCHS Culinary Program to the new location, he still has a general interest in Lexington as an advisor to the Culinary Chair and Director of the NCHS.

Prior to joining Sullivan University, Chef Dodd held the position of Corporate Chef for Gourmet Kitchens, Inc. Setting quality standards, writing menus, and recipe compilation for the company’s five divisions operating in the Chicago area.

He worked for eight years as the Manager and Technical Advisor for Van den Bergh Foods Company at the corporate headquarters research and development center supporting the Bakery and Foodservice Division’s national business and manufacturing units.

Chef Dodd held the appointment of Special Commitment Chef to the Royal Household in Great Britain from 1968-75. During that time he designed and produced Her Royal Highness, The Princess Anne’s wedding cake and subsequently her children’s christening cakes in addition to many other priority assignments at Windsor Castle.

Chef Dodd served with distinction for over twenty years in the British Army, retiring as a Warrant Officer before accepting a teaching position at Thames Valley University, London.

Chef Dodd’s background in Culinary Arts and his involvement in teaching is extensive. He received his Master Chef and Master Pastry Chef Diplomas from the City and Guilds of London Institute in 1968 and 1972 as well as earning Teaching Certification.

In 1984 he was awarded membership to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his laudatory services to the culinary profession. This award is bestowed upon individuals who excel in their profession and are recognized for contributing to improvements and standards within that profession. Only one other chef has ever been awarded this honor.

He has garnered many awards and honors including Gold Medals and Table of Honor awards from International Culinary Competitions in London England, Europe and the US. Chef Dodd is a qualified culinary judge in Europe and is a recipient of the Judges Medal for the Salon Culinaire de Londres International.

He is a member of the American Culinary Federation, the Honorable Order of the Golden Toque, the Retail Bakers Association, the American Institute of Wine and Food, the Advisory Board for the Hospitality and Food Service Department of the College of DuPage, Illinois. Chef Dodd has earned qualifications as a Certified Executive Chef and a Certified Culinary Educator from the American Culinary Federation.

Chef G. Allen Akmon was appointed to the position of chairman for the culinary arts department of the National Center for Hospitality Studies (NCHS) over campuses in both Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky. Chef Akmon has been teaching at Sullivan University for the past nine years with the last two spent as the associate chair person on the Lexington campus. Specializing in International cuisine, Chef Akmon also teaches Garde Manger and Basic skills lab and theory courses.

Chef Akmon’s culinary education began at the age of 15 as a dish washer soon–to-be prep cook at a small family owned Italian restaurant in Marin County California. 1990 brought his graduation from Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina with a degree in culinary arts. After nine months and a promotion to Chef de Cuisine at Cafe at Wexford, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; he moved to Morgins, a small ski village in the Swiss Alps where he spent one winter season at the Hostelerie Bellevue, followed by a one and a half year stint at the five star leading hotel of the world Grand Hotel Victoria Jungfrau in Interlaken Switzerland.

Upon leaving Switzerland, Chef Akmon spent nine months of self exploration including stays in the south of France, Nepal, India, The Thai cooking school Bangkok, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia before settling for one year in Sydney, Australia. Here he worked as a kitchen chef for the largest catering outfit in Sydney (Juste Nous Catering).

Returning to the United States brought a quick spot in Wolfgang Puck’s Spago Las Vegas where he worked his way through all positions of the back kitchen and front line. A stint at Spago was followed by an Executive Sous Chef’s position at the South Carolina Yacht Club in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Just prior to arriving at Sullivan University, Chef Akmon spent five years as Chef de Cuisine in Colorado Springs, Colorado and since arriving at Sullivan he has become certified both as an Executive Chef and a Hospitality Educator. Additionally, he graduated in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management.

Chef John Castro, CEC
Executive Chef Instructor, Winston’s Restaurant

With almost 25 years of culinary experience here and abroad, John Castro has found a home at Sullivan University’s National Center for Hospitality Studies, where he is Executive Chef at Winston’s the (“real time”) restaurant for students of the National Center for Hospitality Studies.

Castro has been at NCHS for close to 20 years as a chef instructor and has taught thousands of students everything from basic skills to the intricacies of international cuisines. Prior to his teaching career, he spent time as a consultant and chef at the Lai Lai Sheraton Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan, gaining firsthand experience in Asian cuisine. Closer to home Castro was the Executive Chef at Hasenour’s Restaurant a Louisville landmark.

In addition to attending Northwood Institute in West Baden Springs, Indiana, Castro holds an associate degree from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He holds eight medals from culinary salons and is a participating member of the Escoffier Society and the Chaine De Rotisseur.

Castro and his recipes have been featured in Chef Magazine, The Culinary Review, Louisville Magazine, Southern Living, Chef Educator Today, Mid-West Food Service News, the Lane Report, Splendor in the Bluegrass and the Louisville Courier Journal. He has also appeared on HTV/Hospitality Television, Good Morning America with Emeril Lagasse, most recently Chef Castro and his brother were on “Throw Down” with Bobby Flay on the Food Network, as well as the Travel Channel on Taste of the Nation for his creation “The Not Brown”. His food styling work has also been featured in national food and beverage advertisements, corporate report publications and restaurant menus. Recently, for example, he prepared and styled food for a Chef Magazine story about Chinese cuisine expert and author Barbara Tropp. Chef Castro has also been a guest chef at the famed James Beard House in New York City.

As Executive Chef of Winston’s, Castro oversees a restaurant designed as the “capstone” practicum in the last quarter of studies for NCHS culinary students. Winston’s is a place where students gain experience in a functioning restaurant environment; the students take these experiences out into the hospitality industry upon graduation. While most chefs staff their with permanent employees, Castro has the challenge of a new class of students every 13 weeks, not to mention the seasonal change of Winston’s menu, usually four times a year, allows for a creative Tsunami. Yang Kee Noodle Restaurant where Castro is a partner and consultant for menu creation and design, and has enjoyed glowing reviews for this venture. http://www/yankeenoodle.com/

Southern Indiana roots and his experience in cooking Asian cuisine make Castro a well rounded helmsman for Winston’s. In fact, it is this mix between his mother’s Kentucky-born passion for gardening and his father’s Asian-born passion for food that he credits his varied interests. Castro’s enthusiasm instills in the students not only knowledge but also confidence to succeed in a wide array of venues across the country and around the world.

Chef David Moeller, CEC
Chef Instructor

Chef David Moeller has been a Chef Instructor at Sullivan University's National Center for Hospitality Studies (NCHS) in Louisville, Kentucky for fifteen years. In his current position, Chef Moeller instructs students in Advanced Culinary Techniques, and is one of two coaches for the Sullivan University student hot food competition team. Chef Moeller has also taught Basic Culinary Skills and Theory, Garde Manger, Menu Creation, Wines and Spirits, Catering, Dining Room Service and Purchasing.

Prior to his employment at Sullivan University, Chef Moeller began his culinary career in 1981 working for the Grisanti Company, a group of three restaurants, specializing in fine dining Northern Italian cuisine, and regional American cuisine. Chef Moeller worked for the Grisanti Company in all kitchen positions until 1986 when he was hired as Chef Tournant at Vincenzo's, another fine dining restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1988, Chef Moeller moved to Providence, Rhode Island to pursue a degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University, which he completed in 1989. In addition to attending culinary school full time, Chef Moeller worked full time as a Pastry Chef at Michael's Gourmet, one of the largest catering houses in Providence.

Having completed his culinary degree, Chef Moeller returned to Louisville as Chef de Cuisine at Jack Fry's, until being lured back to Vincenzo's where he worked as Chef de Cuisine, until his appointment as Chef Instructor at Sullivan University, where in 1996, he opened Winston's restaurant, a three and a half star restaurant on the Sullivan University campus, as Executive Chef.

In 1997, Chef Moeller moved to Chicago Illinois as Executive Chef of Bistrot Zinc, an authentic French Bistro in the heart of the city, until his return to Louisville and Sullivan University.

Chef Moeller's work has been featured in several periodicals such as Chef Magazine, Southern Living, and Chicago Magazine, and he has also appeared on many local television news stations, demonstrating his talent and love of the culinary profession.

Chef Samuel S. Mudd, CEC, CCE
Chef Instructor

Chef Mudd, a Louisville native, worked his way up the brigade system at some of Louisville’s finer dining establishments. As well as operating his own catering operation, he has held the position of Executive Chef at the following:

 • The Galt House’s Flagship Revolving Restaurant
 • Executive West Hotel
 • Hunting Creek Country Club

A founding member of the Kentucky chapter of the American Culinary Federation, he served as Treasurer for five years, President for three years and was recognized as Chef of the Year twice.

In the early 80’s, while holding down a chef’s position, he began teaching part-time at Jefferson Community College and later at Northwood Institute. As a full-time instructor at Sullivan since 2000, he has specialized in working with new students helping them develop important fundamental skills they will use throughout their careers.

As a self-proclaimed practitioner of Southern home-cookin’, Chef Mudd loves preparing the kinds of foods that have stood the test of time: fried chicken, corn muffins, Kentucky Burgoo, beef brisket, stone-ground grits .

Chef Katie Payne, CSC
Chef Instructor - Louisville Campus

Chef Katie Payne, CSC, is currently serving as Chef Instructor of Sullivan University’s National Center for Hospitality Studies (NCHS). In this position Chef Payne teaches International Cuisine and at times Basic Culinary Theory and Lab. Her restaurant career began in Lexington, Kentucky in the mid-1980's where she held several positions in the front of the house. There she was exposed to fine dining where her curiosity and interest in food preparation and presentation became a priority.

She is a graduate of the Culinary Arts program at Sullivan University’s National Center and while attending classes was chosen to participate on the NCHS’s nationally acclaimed culinary competition team. She was awarded the bronze medallion for her efforts during Sullivan’s first-time venture into hot-food competition. Also while attending, she held the position of Sous Chef at the 3½ star Winston’s Restaurant and served as a Teaching Assistant.

Upon leaving Sullivan she began a two year stay at the Inn at Blackberry Farm one of the United States top rated resorts. She began as breakfast\lunch prep cook and eventually became “first cook” for evening service. Her first experience at this level of culinary style and presentation was extremely demanding and rewarding. From Blackberry she chose to take a position at Caneel Bay Resort in St. John, US Virgin Islands.

She served as Chef de Partie at Turtle Bay, the resort’s exclusive fine dining restaurant. Immediately prior to assuming her teaching position at Sullivan, she served as Executive Chef in charge of the “Home Meal Replacement” division at Phil Dunn’s Cookshop in Lexington, Kentucky.

Chef Robert Beighey, CEC, CCA
Chef Instructor, Louisville Campus

Chef Robert W. Beighey, is a Chef Instructor at Sullivan University’s National Center for Hospitality Studies (NCHS) in Louisville, Kentucky. In his position, Chef Beighey teaches incoming students in Basic Culinary Skills, Basic Baking and senior students in Purchasing, Garde Manger and International Cuisine. In addition to his daily faculty duties he is the Chef of special projects and one of the Asst. Coaches for the schools culinary competition teams.

Prior to his appointment at Sullivan University he held a position as Chef Instructor at the world famous hotel and resort property, Gaylord Entertainment Opryland Hotel. Chef Beighey was the first and only full time Chef Instructor for the 20 year, ACF (American Culinary Federation) approved, apprenticeship program. He also served as the head coach for the junior hot food and Baron Galand Knowledge Bowl teams, which resulted in second place silver medals for both teams in 2001.

Chef Beighey’s culinary education began as an apprentice at the age of 15. He has held almost every position in the back of the house including assistant baker and assistant butcher. He is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University, Culinary Arts at their Providence Campus. He received his Certified Executive Chef designation from the ACF in 2001 and his Certified Culinary Administrators designation in 2006.

In the early spring of 2002 he was appointed as Membership Chair for the ACF Kentucky Chapter. Chef Beighey has been involved with the American Culinary Federation most of his culinary life and officially became a member in 1997.

Chef Beighey has written for and been featured in Food & Dining Magazine, Louisville Edition, The National Culinary Review; trade magazines of the ACF, Adweek Online; a weekly web based trend site, and The Principles and Process of Cooking; an educational trade video, as well as being on local TV News stations in Louisville, KY, Nashville, TN, and Providence, RI for his cooking talents.

Chef Danielle DeMare, CC, CSC
Chef Instructor, Louisville Campus

Chef Danielle DeMare, was born in Rome, NY, grew up in Charlotte, NC and has resided in Louisville, KY since 1997. She has been involved in the Restaurant/Hospitality Business since she was 15 years old.

She attended Savannah College of Art and Design for two years, majoring in Fine Arts Painting. She holds an Associate of Science in Culinary Arts and Bachelors of Hospitality Management degree from Sullivan University. While she attended Sullivan University she managed Winston's, which is a three and a half star fine dining restaurant. At Avalon Restaurant she began work as a prep cook and part-time Garde Manger, moved to full-time Garde Manger and Asst. Pastry Chef, and then was promoted to full-time Pastry Chef and Roundsman.

Accomplishments include events such as: Brown Hotel/Kosair Charity fund raisers, Buffalo Trace Distillers bourbon tasting dinners, Chaine de Rotisseurs competition and dinners, Hospice House fund raisers, Emeril Lagasse/Good Morning America TV demo, Sporting Clays Classic for the Boy Scouts of America, "Star Chefs" programs, National Cheese Association Event, Golden Togue Dinner, ACF competitions and dinners, Sullivan University events, and Taste of Louisville; assisted with food styling for General Electric Advantium oven cookbook and recipe testing and Stoli Vodka Holiday shoots. Hold's Servsafe Sanitation, AH & MA Hospitality Management and AH & MA Food and Beverage Control Certifications; also CARE alcohol awareness training.

Chef Eugene Bell, CEC
Chef Instructor, Louisville Campus

Chef Eugene Bell has over 20 years of experience in the food service industry. Most recently, he was an Executive Chef for Dupree Catering, Inc. in Lexington, Kentucky. Prior to this position, he was the Executive Chef for Ala Carte Food & Wine, a gourmet, retail, deli and catering operation in Indiana. He has owned his own consulting business where he worked with small independent owners, national chains and manufacturers.

Chef Bell spent 14 years in the private club industry with Club Corporation of America and independent country clubs including Springfield Country Club and Lexington Country Club. He holds a Les Amis d’Escoffier Honor Medallion and a Chef of the Year award from the Bluegrass Chefs and Cooks Association, ACF. Chef Bell has held board positions in the Tri-State Chefs and Cooks, ACF and The Bluegrass Chefs and Cooks, ACF.

Chef Bell participated as local talent for cooking shows in Lexington, Kentucky and Evansville, Indiana and has been featured in articles for local publications including Food & Dining, Louisville Business, The Lexington Herald Leader and The Evansville Courier and Press.

Chef Collen Engle, CEC, CHE, CFBE
Chef Instructor, Louisville Campus

Chef Engle is a full time teacher at the National Center for Hospitality Studies at Sullivan University.  He teaches or has taught Basic Skills, Nutrition, Purchasing, Sanitation, Catering, International Cuisine and Food and Beverage Control .

Chef Engle holds an M.B.A. from Boston University, a B.S. in Management from University of New Hampshire, and an A.S. from Sullivan University in Culinary Arts.  He is currently pursuing a Masters in Nutrition from University of Bridgeport.   He has attained Certified Executive Chef, Certified Hospitality Educator and Certified Food and Beverage Executive designations.  He belongs to The American Culinary Federation, the Kentucky Restaurant Association, and the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs.  Chef Engle is a Serv-Safe certified instructor through the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. Before beginning his culinary career he spent several years in business as a financial consultant for EF Hutton and Shearson Lehman and in accounting and analysis for General Electric. 

Chef Engle’s interest in the culinary field started early.  While still in high school and college he held jobs at McDonalds and for Abigail Kirsch, an exclusive catering company in Westchester, N.Y.   Upon graduating from Sullivan University he worked for local restaurants, including Azalea and 211 Clover Lane where he was the chef for 2 ½ years.  His experience was broadened when he purchased his own restaurant, Meridian Café that he owned and managed for four years. Extremely successful, it is still in operation under new ownership while he pursues his teaching career.

Cynthia Chandler Kennedy, MS, RD, LD
National Center Instructor

Cynthia Chandler Kennedy is a faculty member who joined Sullivan University as a nutrition and food service sanitation instructor.  She joins us after a varied career in both hospital and university affiliated positions.

Cynthia completed her undergraduate degree in Dietetics and Institution Administration from Western Kentucky University. She went on to the University of Kentucky where she was awarded a Master's degree with honors in Clinical Nutrition from the College of Allied Health.  Upon graduation, she sat for and successfully passed the board for the American Dietetic Association to become a registered dietitian.  She is a licensed dietitian and a certified nutritionist in the state of Kentucky. 

Teaching experience includes classes in nutrition taught at the University of Kentucky as well as health professional training courses taught throughout the state and nation in diabetes care and education. She has taught in the Jefferson County School Systems as a substitute teacher and worked with the University of Louisville Department of Family Practice as a nutritionist. She worked for the University of Kentucky Department of Medicine in developing training materials for diabetes and the use of fiber in the diet. Her jobs included seeing patients, training medical students in nutrition and developing educational materials for both patients and health professionals.   She has served as newsletter editor for the Diabetes Care and Education Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association and as treasurer for the American Association of Diabetes Educators. 

She has served on the board of the American Association of Diabetes Educators and is a current member of the Food and Culinary Professionals Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association, The American Culinary Federation, The Kentucky Dietetic Association, The American Association of Diabetes Educators, and the Dietary Managers Association.

Chef Kathy Ballard, CC, CPC
National Center Instructor

Kathy Ballard Originally from Inez, Kentucky, Mrs. Ballard has traveled around the world and acquired vast experience in cooking, institutional housing, human resource management, administration, personnel management, and public speaking. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Air Force Enlisted Village located in Shalimar, Florida. This private non-profit corporation is a retirement village composed of 378 units and currently is in the process of building an $11 million dollar 64-unit assisted-living complex. Her knowledge enabled her to make valuable input to the CEO of the AEFV on issues dealing with food preparation and complex institutional housing issues. She has served on advisory boards that advise the chief operation officers for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service and the Defense Commissary Agency. Mrs. Ballard has also served as Vice President for College Relations for the Community College of the Air Force. In this capacity, she directed the public affairs, professional publications, and student services out-reach functions for the 600,000–student body. She went down in Air Force history for being the first woman to be selected as a Command Senior Enlisted Advisor. In this capacity she was the personal advisor to the Air Force Material Command four-star General and ten other General Officer Center Commanders for 102 units worldwide. She was responsible for all matters affecting the leadership, quality of life issues, welfare, and morale for over 26,000 enlisted personnel.

An early avocation for cooking led to culinary and baking classes in England, Washington DC, New Orleans, and Columbus, Ohio. Retirement led her to Louisville, Kentucky and the achievement of formal culinary training. She earned Associate Degrees in Culinary Arts (Summa cum Laude), Baking and Pastry Arts (Summa cum Laude), Hotel and Restaurant Management (Summa cum Laude). She also has Associate Degrees in Management and Human Resource Management plus a Bachelor of Science in Management/Human Resource (Summa cum Laude) and a Masters in Business Administration. Her advancement into corporate level positions led to opportunities for training in Total Quality Management to include Basic Facilitators Course, Quality Performance Indicators course, Team Training, and Theory of Constraints. Her versatility is further enhanced by computer training in Word, Form Flow, Excel, and Power Point.

Her vast experience and creative thinking has enabled her to teach Basic Nutrition, Serv-Safe Sanitation, Baking I, Hospitality Management and Supervision, Purchasing, Food & Beverage Cost Control, and Wine and Spirits during her tenure.

She has been recognized repeatedly throughout her career. During her culinary training, she received recognition when she was selected for the Culinary Competition Team and later was awarded the President’s Cup when she graduated from the National Center for Hospitality Studies degree programs. The Dayton, Ohio YWCA recognized her as Career Woman of the Year. She was selected by the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force to act as an advisor to the Defense Advisory Counsel on Women in the Services (Presidential Appointed Committee). She later was selected to represent the United States Air Force in the ground-breaking with then President Clinton at the Women’s War Memorial. Secretary of the Air Force Edward L. Aldridge awarded her the Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award from a competitive pool of 11,209 persons. At each formal educational stage of her professional leadership development, she was recognized as the #1 Honor Graduate and Distinguished Graduate of her graduating classes. She was also selected by her peers, at intermediate level leadership training, as the Commandant’s Award for Leadership winner.