Louis Shaban is a lucky guy - and he's the first to tell
you so.
He was lucky when he arrived in the U.S. a little over 20
years ago, lucky when he fell in love, lucky when he found a job he truly
enjoyed (and was good at), and lucky again when Immigration changed his visa
status and allowed him to stay long enough to become a U.S. citizen.
Louis isn't any kind of "glass half-full"
guy. Nuh-uh. This guy's glass is (almost) always
brimming over with his passion for his work, his industry, and family (which
includes a whole lot of folks related not necessarily by blood but
through….well, Louis.)
He grew up
knowing the difference between a home and professional chef.
"My grandmother was a kosher caterer back home (in
South Africa)," he says.
That illustrated two things: one, it was possible to earn
a living through food, and, two, "You can make people happy through
food."
When he left South Africa, he was the general manager at
one of South Africa's larger commercial bakeries. "I was on track to become a partner, there," he
recalls, without a touch or twinge of second-thought in his demeanor.
That all changed when he overstayed his U.S. tourist visa
("I was visiting family," he says. "And I fell in
love.") And he started
working, too, first with the Don Company, a global leader in distributing food
service equipment.
"I got very involved with the New York restaurant
scene," he recalls. Only when prodded does he briefly - very briefly -
launch into a "who's who" listing of chefs and restaurants: Louis
doesn't kiss and tell, and only tells the sparest of details.
His success there led him to the South African Gross
family business, aka Chef Works
and when the company relocated headquarters to southern California, Louis took
over a southwestern territory.
Not hidden in the kitchen
Not just any uniform company, Chef Works offers both front
and back of the house apparel, including everything from headwear to shoes -
and even knives. The company also
does custom uniform programs, working closely with clients large and small.
With a 50,000 square foot warehouse, the company is able
to respond quickly to customer orders, of almost any size.
Louis points out that Chefs Work places significant
emphasis on product development, stressing quality and life span in each
product.
"Chefs spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and
fabrics need be able to be used and abused."
The company works closely with suppliers to develop
fabrics (extra-durable poly-cotton (and sometimes mesh) blends) that are both
lightweight and comfortable. There
are styles for both men and women, plus a new "Urban Wear" line.
"With that line, we can accommodate the sleeve
tattoos," Louis cracks
Since 2005, he's made it his mission (not just his job) to
become acquainted with …well, let's put it this way. If Arizona has a "food scene" at all, Louis would
be the guy you'd want as a guide - not because he probably knows just about
everyone in it, but because he also knows who's really who - and why.
Passion pays off
That could be at least partly because, while he's a
consummate sales person driven by a conviction that his products are in fact
superior in multiple ways (they really are), Louis is equally and unequivocally
passionate about the food industry and its people.
"He loves the connection," agrees Jared Porter,
a C-CAP grad and chef/owner of The Clever Koi in central Phoenix.
"Plus, he always keeps me in the loop."
Louis is careful to note that his passion for his work and
industry is strongly reinforced by Chef Works. "We're a passionate company," he says simply.
"We believe in what we
do."
One of the things Louis believes
in is C-CAP.
"I see this (C-CAP) is
genuine. The people who work with
C-CAP, starting with Richard (Grausman), are dedicated professionals.
"There is discipline - and
there are results. The kids are
getting a quality start to their careers.
They could go into any kitchen, and begin working.
"C-CAP has the highest
standards (of this kind of program) that I've seen," he says. "When I see what C-CAP graduates
can do - people like Jared Porter and Brian Archibald and so many more - it all
comes back to C-CAP."
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Chef Works supplied professional jackets for
C-CAP competitors here in Arizona -
and Louis Shaban's intent on staying
involved in as many ways as possible.
See more photos and more about Chef Works and C-CAP on the C-CAP Arizona
blog!
C-CAP Arizona is part of the
largest independent culinary scholarship program in
the U. S. Follow C-CAP Arizona's students, teacher
and work at http://c-cap-arizona.blogspot.com, where you'll find photos and
links to supporters and more.
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