Chef Chris LaLonde is the program coordinator and chef instructor of the Food and Hospitality Institute. He teaches food preparation, purchasing, sanitation, supervision, spa cuisine, garde-manger (cold food preparation) and sauciér (preparation of sauces, stews, hot hors d’oeuvres and sautéed foods). He has been at El Centro for four years and is a graduate of Florida State University with bachelor’s degrees in business and hotel and restaurant administration. He is a certified executive chef with the American Culinary Federation and is the former executive chef at the Westin Hotel Galleria in Dallas.