Executive Chef Duo Shines at HE&R

Meet Chefs Jo and Rick, a dynamic culinary duo at Hershey Entertainment & Resorts (HE&R) - Chef Jo is Executive Chef at Hershey Country Club (HCC) while Chef Rick is Executive Chef of The Chocolatier at Hersheypark.

Each Chef is responsible for menu development and recipe creation at their respective properties, but their greatest creation is their daughter, Harper! The pair involves Harper, age 11, as much as possible. “She has her own sous chef coat and nametag and joins us at demos. She’s a great helper.” Jo laughs, “She’s also a dancer, so I’m a dance mom!”

The culinary couple cites Dark Nights menus as a recent project that sparked their collective creative passion. Jo smiles, “We had so much fun planning concessions and seeing everyone enjoy the food.” Rick laughs, “It was so different and allowed us to go a 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘵 crazy.” The pair also recruits, hires, and trains team members. “Our paths don’t cross in the workplace too often, but we have the chance to be together on recruiting trips or in the community at cooking demos,” Rick tells us. 

Both Chefs have a shared passion for mentoring the next generation of young culinarians. “The most rewarding aspect of my role is working with interns and supporting people’s growth,” says Jo. Rick echoes her sentiment. “It’s all about growth and character. I can teach anyone to cook, but when someone takes a notebook from their pocket, listens to what I say, and takes notes, that shows character and passion.” He adds, “Our [HE&R] Core Values and work with the students of MHS [Milton Hershey School] and CHS [Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning] is also incredibly rewarding; it’s a great connection.”

While their roles are expansive and their schedules are busy, Chef Rick credits his ability to manage his time. “I have great work-life balance because I have a super-solid team. I try to balance my shifts, so I get to see all of our team members and be there for every aspect of the operation.” Chef Jo says, "Our team at HCC is close-knit, and they have worked together for a while. It's a great property."

We appreciate you, Chefs; thank you for sharing your time and talents!

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