At the young age of 12, Chef Lopez began his culinary journey at a banquet hall in Whittier, California cleaning vegetables, washing dishes, and helping in all aspects of the kitchen. What was supposed to be a day of helping his siblings in the kitchen, ended up opening a career of a lifetime.

After high school, Chef Lopez enrolled at Cerritos College to take classes in Baking and Pastry but decided to embark on a different trajectory as he enrolled at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York to pursue a degree in Culinary Arts Management.

Upon graduating, Chef Lopez accepted a job offer from The Culinary to work as a Manager in Training for two of the student-led restaurants on campus. It was in this role that he found a love for teaching and helping students achieve their highest potential.

His career has allowed him to work with many cuisines, established and esteemed restaurants and chefs, and travel the world.

At Long Beach City College, Chef Lopez hopes to share a part of his journey and learned experiences to help students explore, taste, and see what the world of Culinary Arts is all about.