Chef Life
I've been working in restaurants for 20 years, most recently and notably at Hop Alley, a modern Chinese concept widely regarded as one of Denver's best restaurants. I took some culinary classes in high school, discovering a passion and aptitude for cooking. I subsequently worked in all sorts of restaurants ranging from sports and sushi bars to fine dining, and ran my own Thai and Indonesian food truck for a few years called Satay By Jorge. While my passion for food is still strong, finding a career that is less physically demanding and provides more financial security, yet still appeals to my creative nature and love of collaboration, has become a goal of mine as I get older.
Why UX/UI Design?
As a chef, I took pride in making every guest’s experience as enjoyable and memorable as possible, because it might be the only chance I got to cook for them. Getting to that great experience, or that great meal, requires hard work, collaboration, inspiration, dedication to honing one’s skills, and growing through research, testing, and feedback. These are the reasons why I love what I do as a UX Designer.
Who am I?
Born and raised in Chicago, I've lived in Denver for about 10 years. When I'm not cooking or designing, I'm often playing guitar or with music production software. I was in a jazzy, funky, hip-hop band for most of my 20s; making a crowd of people dance to something you've composed and played gives me the same satisfaction as cooking a great meal for someone. I also enjoy watching basketball, eating out at new restaurants, going camping (mostly because I like building and cooking with fires), and riding my bike around town.
