Chef Biography

Max Tat
Executive Chef Max Tat joined the Cameron Mitchell Restaurants family in 2005 as a chef Molly Woo’s, where he currently holds the position of Executive Chef. Although Max has only been with the company for a few years, he is certainly no stranger to the kitchen. Max grew up around Asian cooking and enjoyed watching his grandfather cook as a child in Vietnam. His grandfather was a great chef and played an important role in Max’s life as his very first culinary arts teacher. With inspiration from his grandfather, Max attended Joliet Community College where he graduated with a degree in Culinary Arts.

With over 15 years of cooking and restaurant experience, Max has become an extremely accomplished chef and has had the chance to work in a variety of restaurant settings. Among his many experiences, Max worked at the Holiday Inn in Worthington under Executive Chef David Benefield and also worked as the Executive Chef and then Corporate Chef with Mark Pi and Mark Pi’s Asian concept for over seven years. Max has even competed in several culinary competitions and took home second place in Garnishing and Fruit Carving at the International Food Show.

While Max’s favorite style of cooking is Pan-Asian he also enjoys French cuisine. He also especially enjoys the art of preparation, no matter what the cuisine. As an experienced fruit carver, he believes that the preparation and presentation of food should include a combination of flavor and artful appearance.

His advice to aspiring chefs – “Attend a good culinary arts school and obtain a wide foundation of knowledge of foods and basic kitchen and preparation skills. It is also important to work hard and seek out a good chef to mentor you.”