Andi Van Willigan, World Fare Executive Chef
After sharpening her knives with the best in the business, Gordon Ramsay and Michael Mina, Chef Andi joined the World Fare team to bring her passion for food to the streets of LA. Chef Andi believes that amazing food should be accessible, and the bustaurant menu was created.
For the past four years, Andi traveled the country as the Corporate Executive Sous Chef for the Michael Mina Group. Andi opened eleven multi-million dollar restaurants for the Group in 8 states. Andi was responsible for teaching the line cooks to execute over 500 different dishes through 4 different restaurant concepts, at a 5 star level! No small feat; but always executed successfully to Michael Mina’s standards. You have to love the kitchen and the art of cooking to spend 100 hours a week in the kitchen for 6 weeks to ensure a restaurant has the perfect opening.
Before bringing her skill to the Worldfare kitchen Andi managed to squeeze in 2 seasons as Gordon Ramsay’s right hand woman, the Sous Chef on “Hell’s Kitchen”. In this on camera role, Andi had to keep the womans team on task, performing to Gordon Ramsay’s unrelenting quest for perfection.
Andi’s extensive travels around the world provide the inspiration for the WorldFare menu. From South African street food to traditional Italian and everywhere in between, Andi is committed to using only the freshest, seasonal ingredients available and is thrilled to bring her passion and skills to the WorldFare kitchen.
Her world class experience shape WorldFare’s unique menu and food presentation, to ensure that all food is truly memorable.
Born and raised in Southern California, Andi has always had a passion for cooking. She grew up helping her father in the kitchen nightly; dinner was always a sit down meal for the family and a time to enjoy good food, family and friends.
After finishing culinary school Andi started a family tradition “Taste the world”. Every holiday Andi and her family picked a different country, researched the local foods, bought unique ingredients and interpreted the recipes with their own family flair. This approach to food continues to influence and define Andi’s fearless style.
Andi began her formal culinary career at the Boston Culinary Group in Pasadena. Andi ran her own catering company before becoming a member of the team at Stonehill Tavern, Michael Mina’s acclaimed restaurant in Monarch Beach, CA.
Andi continued her career under Michael Mina where she served as Mina Group’s Corporate Executive Sous Chef. In this position, she was tasked with the operations of opening each new restaurant to Michael Mina standards to ensure an unforgettable dining experience.