Join Aortic Hope for this very special Live Q&A on our YouTube channel with Chef Robb and Mindy Seltzer, our new Culinary and Nutritional Educators on Tuesday, April 18th at 7pm EST.
Chef Robb:
"I have been working in the Hospitality industry for over 45 years. Like many in this business I started my career in the fast food industry at a chain called Burger Chef, owned by General Foods Corporation. After completing the manager training program, I went to Michigan State University and received a B.S. in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management. My mentor encouraged me to go to culinary school (after receiving my B.S.), as he taught me that a true hospitality manager must know the workings of a kitchen or failure is imminent. I went to Johnson and Wales culinary in Providence, Rhode Island and became an instructor in the culinary school. Eventually, I left and moved to South Bend, Indiana, home of the University of Notre Dame. Here I became the Executive Chef of the University food services. I continued to work in large volume operations for several years as a Chef and General Manager in facilities such as the Pittsburgh Convention Center, Joe Robbie stadium in Miami and the Orange County Convention Center here in Orlando.
From 1990-2010 I began to work in the supply side of food service when I joined the distribution giant SYSCO Corporation. While at SYSCO I was a DSR, a SYSCO Brand Manager and the Director of Marketing. After nine years I left SYSCO and eventually became an owner of a specialty Italian food importing and distribution company, here in Central Florida. Over an eleven year span I built two more companies; an Italian wine import/distribution company and a specialty coffee company that included a roasting facility.
In 2010 I decided to go back to teaching and taught both culinary arts and academics at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Orlando. I left the LCB in June of 2016 to join the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management as the Director of Food and Beverage Operations and Chef Instructor. While at the UCF Rosen College I taught cooking courses in the food labs and supply chain management.
Additionally, I was an instructor in the UCF College of Medicine teaching "Culinary Medicine" to the 4th year medical students. This course prepared the students to instruct their patients on how to use food and diet to attain better health.
While at the UCF Rosen College I had the opportunity to redesign and rebuild all three of the kitchen laboratories, which included setting the specifications for the equipment and managing the installations.
I am happily married to Mindy Seltzer, RD/LDN for almost 45 years, and have three grown children and two grandchildren. I had a type AB dissection on March 21, 2022 and had the aortic arch replaced. On December 23, 2022 I had an TDA aneurysm with an endoleak repaired and also a subclavian bypass.
I look forward to having you in my class and sharing my hospitality experience."
Mindy Seltzer RDN/LDN:
"I graduated from Michigan State University in 1977 with a degree in dietetics and nutrition and completed my internship at Harper Hospital in Detroit, Michigan in 1978. On December 31, 1978 I married Chef Robb and moved to Providence, Rhode Island where I was a dietitian for a community health care center.
From there we moved to South Bend, Indiana. I was an administrative dietitian managing the food service and training staff at a 500 bed hospital from 1980 to 1986.
In 1988 we moved to Orlando, Florida. I was a clinical dietitian for a Health Maintenance Organization for 5 years. Then worked as a food safety consultant for corporate restaurant chains until 1999.
I began working for the State of Florida at the Agency for Healthcare Administration as a Public Health Nutrition Consultant. I was responsible for ensuring health and nutrition in Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Developmental Disability Facilities for the State and Federal government. After 22 years I retired December 31, 2021.
Using food to maintain and improve health has always been a passion of mine. I believe that teaching people how to eat right involves learning how to cook, making the food look good, taste good and helps us feel good. My lifetime motto has been" Eat the Rainbow"."
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