John Hohn – Executive Chef & Culinary Arts Director/Instructor, GAP Ministries
A restaurant dishwashing job as a teenager led Chef John to an interest in cooking. He completed the Flowing Wells High School Culinary Arts Program and began his career as a prep cook at the Five Star and Five Diamond The Tack Room, then Garde Manger at Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort.
He progressed to Loews Ventana Canyon, working under notable chefs like Master Chef Marc Ehrler and Phillipe Trosh. Chef John perfected his passion for people, product and profit for 13 years at Ventana Canyon, working his way up the culinary ranks in all of its five kitchens. He was Executive Chef at Bob’s Steak & Chop House at Omni Tucson National and then at GRINGO Grill + Cantina at La Posada Lodge.
In 2014, he won the Iron Chef Tucson competition, adding to his other culinary awards including Best Taco, Best Salsa, Best Guacamole, a People’s Choice Award for Best Tequila Drink, as well as “most creative drink” for a fireball hot chocolate poured over disappearing cotton candy.
Joining GAP Ministries in 2015 as Executive Chef and Culinary Arts Director/Instructor, he manages a close team of seven, plus volunteers, and is responsible for creating and instructing the 400-hour culinary school for second chance and low-income individuals seeking a better life. His team makes more than 200,000 meals a year, prepares ready-to-eat food for 9 to 14 foster care group homes, with approximately 10 kids in each home, produces staff meals for more than 60 adults per day, executes on- and off-site catering events and runs a food truck for homeless outreach and other special events.
