Cucina 503

Edward Mendoza earned his Bachelor’s Degree in 1999 from Augusta State University in Business Management. Following this he attended Johnson Wales University in Vail, Colorado earning his Associates in Culinary Arts and has been moving up the culinary ladder ever since. After a year as a line cook at the Larkspur in Vail. Edward moved to Charleston, South Carolina where he worked at Louis’s, renowned for their “Southern Fine Dining”. While working for Chef Louis Osteen, Edward perfected how to take classic French techniques and add a southern twist.

Upon leaving South Carolina for Southern California, Edward worked as executive chef at La Palapa Del Mar in Long Beach, California. In 2003, Edward moved to Dallas and worked at several of the most distinguished restaurants in the city. When he first arrived he took a job with Nana Grill under Chef David McMillan. He then became Sous Chef at Lola the Restaurant. During his tenure there, Dallas’ renowned magazine “D Magazine” voted Lola the Best in Dallas two years in a row and they received 5 stars from the “Dallas Morning News”. In 2006, Edward opened Kitchen 1924, where he was published in Bon Appetit as a “Rising Star Chef”. From there he went to Bijoux where he successfully helped the restaurant achieve 5 Stars and was voted best restaurant in 2006 by the “Dallas Morning News” and appeared in Bon Appetit Top 10.

Following this culinary success Edward took the reins and helped open the Le Cordon Blue School of Culinary Arts in Dallas. During his four years as opening chef and teacher, he was sent to the LCB International Training Center in Ottawa, Canada where he learned classic techniques of cooking French cuisine. Currently, Edward also attends the International Star Chefs Congress in New York, a three-day culinary symposium where the world’s most influential and innovative chefs present the latest techniques and culinary concepts yearly.

Along with his multiple accomplishments, Edward has extensive experience in catering corporate events, having worked for Executive Marketing Services and Corporate Quarters in Augusta, Georgia. Edward has been corporate chef for The Masters, The U.S. Open, The Kentucky Derby, The Super Bowl, and The Salt Lake City Olympics.

Today, restaurant-goers will find Edward’s ingenuity and creativity at Cucina 503 in Augusta, Georgia.