October 20 is International Chefs Day, which is celebrated the entire month of October. We have been featuring our chefs all month long, and today it’s time to feature two of our most important chefs, who do our weekly meal preparation.

We value our chefs as much as our clients. Richard Branson says, “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.”

We hope our values reflect that, and we are proud to present Crene and Lamont and to share their stories.

Crene Manishimwe

Crene Manishimwe is our head chef. Born in Tanzania to Burundian parents, Crene fell in love with food in a small family kitchen, cooking alongside both parents. Learning English after coming to the US, Crene found that food could transcend language and background. She studied Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales and believes food is a universal language that connects people, honors culture and creates meaningful shared experiences.

One client wrote: “Crene is a delight!! And her food was so fresh and flavorful and delicious.”

Lamont Actkinson

Lamont Actkinson was raised in the Carolinas and developed a deep appreciation for Southern hospitality and regional food culture that continues to influence Lamont’s approach to cooking and kitchen leadership. With more than 10 years of experience in high-volume restaurants, including within the restaurant group of James Beard Award-winning chef Ashley Christensen, Lamont built experience in kitchen leadership, staff training, inventory management and high-volume service. In Lamont’s words: “I take pride in creating food that brings people together and fostering a positive, team-oriented kitchen environment.”

Thinking about weekly meals for the new year? Start with our food questionnaire on the Chef Prepared Meals page.