New Chef In Town

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Kristha Zapata-Palacios

NEW YEAR, NEW CHEF: Culinary teacher from the Bronx, NY, Chef Hall advising his 3rd hour class about what to expect for the new school year.

Chef Robert Hall is the new culinary arts manager and coordinator at Inlet Grove Community High School. He began working here August 5, 2019. He became a culinary teacher because he felt like “there was a void that needed to be filled, I love giving back” he said.

Chef Hall has been a cook for 40 years. He has managed a fast pace restaurant and has been a  professional chef for 36 years. “This is my first year teaching high school,” he said.

He began cooking at a young age. “I was inspired by my father, my father did most of the cooking at home. My family owned a restaurant, cooking brought us together and made us feel good.” said chef.

Before professionally going into the industry chef attended multiple college’s to master Culinary Arts. From nutrition to sanitation to food management and safety. He learned all of this to inform his students about the real world of culinary and management of the workplace.

He attended Central Texas College and Indian River County College.

Chef Hall began working at Inlet to pick up where Chef Newman left off. The passing of Chef Newman has made an impact on students and staff.

“I didn’t know chef but the more I go through her things and speak to people about her, her legacy is becoming clearer to me,” said Chef. “She was fantastic and meant a lot to you all.”

This lost has brought down a big impact on culinary students but has also brought a new style of teaching too the academy “Our new chef isn’t bad; he is stricter which I like. I learn a lot of things from him. He’s fun but when it’s time to get serious he gets serious. I think I’ll learn a lot from him and gain a lot of experience.” said Stracey Leo, Junior in the Culinary Academy.

Chef Hall is born and raised in Bronx, NY, but has traveled  to multiple countries. “The Bronx is very versatile where all ethnic groups are able the flourish, it is a melting pot. Everyone brought their own cultural to the city from clothes to food,” said Chef.

His goal for students is for them to go into the work force “as examples of success and hunger for success, also to never settle for mediocrity, to lead and be good citizens and to give back what was given to them, and to know who they are as chefs.”

Chef’s favorite dish to cook is Amuse-Bouche and his favorite style of cooking is French Cuisine. On his free time Chef enjoys playing basketball and going to the beach.