Chef Gershon (Gavin) Woonteiler
Chef Gershon (Gavin) grew up in a large Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York. As the oldest child, cooking became his way of helping out at home. There were many days when Gershon would come home from school and, instead of going out to play ball like the others, would pull down a cookbook and tell his mother that he would be cooking dinner for his eight siblings. Between the ages of seventeen and twenty two, Gershon had the opportunity to travel for school and Jewish outreach work. He spent one year in Argentina and two years traveling and working in countries throughout Western and Eastern Europe. Gershon's travels span more than eighteen countries and four continents. His palate and cooking has been influenced by these experiences.
After completing his Jewish studies, Gershon pursued his passion for cooking by enrolling in one of the finest culinary schools in the world. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America with an A.O.S degree in Culinary Arts. Gershon did his culinary externship at Abigail's in Manhattan, under one of the leading chefs in kosher cuisine, Chef Jeffrey Nathan. After graduation he returned to Abigail's to work as a chef for one year. Gershon has also worked as a catering chef for Passover programs in upstate New York for several years. Most recently, Gershon completed his second associates degree in Hospitality Management and is on his way to earning a Bachelor degree in Culinary Management.