Food & Entertainment

Community Experts

 

Trevor Sacco is the founder and president of Sacco Restaurant Group.With more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry, Trevor is well versed in restaurant operations and performance, strategic planning, growth, risk management, procurement and development of food and beverage offerings. Having grown and operated several corporate powerhouses as well as his very own restaurants, Trevor is available to act as CEO or evaluate and implement strategies.

 

 

 

 

Mihn Nguyen is a professional Raw Fusion Chef and is the founder of “Minhs Living Tree.” His passion is helping people live a healthier life!! He believes that in order to do this, we must be physically, spiritually, and mentally healthy. Being physically fit is a great goal, but getting yourself mentally drained while trying to achieve this, is not healthy either. Having an understanding of your health and how the physical elements effect you is one of the keys to living a well balanced life. He holds classes every month in his home kitchen, the Pacific Athletic Club or various locations with Garden of Eden Organics that combines his specialty skills as a Raw Culinary Chef.

 

 

Dave Clegg is a self-taught amateur chef and recipe creator who has always been inspired by his mom’s great cooking.  He has been cooking for over 40 years and has lived in Carmel Valley with his family since 1985.  He created “Carmel Valley Kitchen” as a way to share his passion.

Dave was recently selected as a semifinalist in the “Next Great! News Instructor Cooking Challenge” and his basic cheese cake took third place at the 2011 San Diego County Fair.  Dave has a comprehensive knowledge of ingredients, equipment and cooking techniques that he is always happy to share.

 

 

Clay Stokes is a typical California transplant, having hailed from Nebraska, Texas, Colorado, and the SF Bay area before relocating to the community of Carmel Valley San Diego with his wife and 4 kids in 2007. Living here fits Clay and wife Candy like a glove. The ocean, the weather, the golf, sports and people are great. Clay also has a little Guy Fieri (host of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives) in him. Constantly on the hunt for “The Best Of” in terms of food, he and Candy often cruise for new “good eats” on their day off. Being co-Pastor of Wave Church and caring for the people here in Carmel Valley San Diego community gives Clay plenty of opportunities to glean opinions and invite others along on his quest.

 

Perry Chen and Zhu Shen are a unique son-mother team of talent and aspirations. Perry Chen is the youngest award-winning film/ entertainment critic & animator, artist, speaker, and entertainment personality. He started writing movie reviews at 8 using a kid-friendly starfish rating system, under the guidance of his mom Dr. Zhu Shen and his 3rd grade teacher Ms. Harris. Perry’s debut on the CBS Evening News in 2009 made him a national sensation. He has been featured extensively on local, national, and international media, including NPR, Fox, CNN, NBC, The Guardian, The China Press, and many more. He has interviewed prominent filmmakers at film festivals, red carpet premieres, and press junkets. He won a prestigious “Excellence in Journalism Award” at the San Diego Press Club in 2010 as its youngest member. Perry currently writes movie reviews for the Animation World Network, San Diego Union Tribune, Amazing Kids! Magazine, and his own Perry’s Previews website with a combined readership of over 2 million worldwide.

Dr. Zhu Shen’s love for the movies started when she was a young girl, growing up in China during the Cultural Revolution where watching movies was the only entertainment available to the masses. Her journey to become a filmmaker took a convoluted path. She studied medicine at Peking Union Medical College before coming to the US and earning a Ph.D. in biochemistry from University of Colorado, and then an MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson School. She is a producer of the upcoming documentary feature “Average Joe on the Raw,” about journey into raw food and health. Dr. Shen is also an award-winning biotech executive, author, speaker, China business expert featured on national and trade media including CBS, Fox, Business Week, Pharmaceutical Executive, and more. She has worked at IBM, Bayer, Chiron, Immusol, and is the CEO of BioForesight, consulting on cross-Pacific life science business. *Photos of Perry Chen and Zhu Shen by Brian Bostrom

 

Just a little bit about myself…I was born and raised in California by two loving parents. My family loved taking vacations every summer, we traveled cross-country many times and when I was older went to Europe a couple of times. My love for travel, food, and hospitality in general was formed from the many fun and interesting experience gleaned from my childhood. I am positive and upbeat. I like to laugh and have a good time. My children and my job are my passions. I believe you need to be passionate about the people and things you love most. I’m excited to continue learning and growing within all aspects of the Hospitality Industry as I write this Blog and share my passions, feelings, and what I learn from each experience in the process.