Meet the Elon Culinary Team before they take on Wake Forest in Elon’s first Battle of the Chefs competition to be held Tuesday, Nov. 11 in Harden Residential Restaurant beginning at 5:45 p.m. Battle of the Chefs is based on the Food Network’s hit TV show “Iron Chef”. Come cheer on the Elon Culinary Team Tuesday, Nov. 11. Let the battle begin!
Mirek Lysakowski, Elon University Executive Chef
A native of Poland, Mirek earned his Master Chef Degree from Akademia Gastronomiczna in Wroclaw, Poland, his hometown. His many credentials include being Sous Chef at a variety of locations such as, The Four Star Wroclaw Restaurant/Hotel, The Nikolaikellar Restaurant in Hamburg, Germany, and The Weinhoff Kapel Restaurant in Graz, Austria. For 20 years North Carolina has been the place he calls home. Mirek has worked for Elon Campus Dining for three years as Executive Chef. Although he has worked at many prestigious restaurants, his favorite place to cook is at home for his wife and two children.
Noppanit “Meena” Monaghan, Elon University Production Sous Chef
Hailing from Bangkok, Thailand, Noppanit “Meena” Monaghan has worked with Elon Campus Dining since 1998. Meena attended Bangkok University in Thailand earning a degree in General Business. She furthered her education at the Asian Culinary School. Meena worked as a Chef for Fah Luang in Bangkok for three years. In August 1997 she moved her family to America in order to give her two children the opportunity to study in the United States. Upon arriving in the US, Meena worked at Taste of Thai in Greensboro, NC. She joined the Elon Campus Dining team in January of 1998. She enjoys working at Elon University preparing food from her native country.
James Getkin, Elon University Executive Catering Chef
James Getkin found his passion for food growing up in Lavonia, Michigan. His seventeen years of experience began at the age of sixteen when he began working in food prep at Periwinkles, a fine French Restaurant in Brighton, Michigan. After moving to North Carolina, James earned his culinary degree at Alamance Community College while gaining experience at restaurants and country clubs in the area such as Chapel Hill Country Club and the Summit. Throughout his career, he has studied under several Master Chefs from around the world gaining a wide array of valuable culinary skills. James began working for Elon Campus Dining in 2000 and has been the Executive Catering Chef since 2001.
Leopold Conyers, Elon University Sous Chef
Born and raised in Greensboro, NC, Leo Conyers has always had a passion for cooking. He completed Culinary training with ACC and attained a Culinary degree in two years. He has been employed at various country clubs such as Starmount Forrest Country Club and Pilot Life Country Club both in Greensboro. After working at the Summit in Burlington for five years, Leo joined the Elon Campus Dining Team in February of 2000. Throughout his career he’s had the titles Line Cook, Short Order Cook, and Sous Chef. Leo has been in the cooking industry sine 1974 and has said that after all these years his favorite things to create are soups and sauces.