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Chef Starts Career at an Early Age
"This is it. I want to be a chef," Thomas Hiestand told his parents when he was 12. Some family friends had asked him to help out in their restaurant, and after a few days of chopping lettuce, clearing tables and experiencing the bustle of a restaurant kitchen, Thomas knew he had found his niche. Today Thomas is a certified executive chef through the American Culinary Federation and heads the operations at Naperville Country Club. He also teaches culinary arts at local community colleges and has authored two cookbooks.
Although his parents may not have believed him when he stated his intentions at an early age, Chef Thomas focused on his career. He worked for the small family restaurant until he graduated from high school when he landed a position with the Hyatt Oakbrook. "It was like stepping out of the car on the highway," says the chef about the transition from a family owned restaurant to the corporate world. His casual t-shirt and jean with an apron thrown on top became a chef's coat and cap. He learned from experienced chefs at two hotels and then, at the age of 26, became the youngest person to be named an executive chef for the Radisson Hotel chain. "I fell in love with the executive chef part," he says. "I had a budget of 10 million dollars a year for food and beverage."
He continued working for a few other companies before being recruited to Naperville Country Club in February. "I am now like a personal chef that is shared by 200 members," says Thomas. "I am doing everything from graduation parties to weddings to golf outings." He says that he recently organized a pig roast for the club. "The pig has to cook a long time and there I was at 8 a.m., in the pouring rain, with lightening flashing, standing next to a metal pig roaster. I felt it was a test to see if God was a vegetarian," he joked.
Chef Thomas authored two cookbooks whimsically known as the Traveling Touque series. Since as a chef, he is too busy to travel, Chef Thomas supposedly sent his chef's hat or touque on tour. The "touque" collects recipes on its journey. He first wrote an American collection of recipes and followed up with a European version. Chef Thomas receives postcards from the hat with clever accounts of his hat's adventures including meeting his furry English cousins perched on the heads of the Royal Guards in London. The books are sold on online book stores. –Judy Buchenot

Chef Thomas'’ Favorites

Favorite Sauce: Maltese sauce which is an orange-flavored Hollandaise sauce that compliments seafood and poultry.
Favorite Seasoning: The variety of sea salts-especially the Red Hawaiian and the Fleur de Sel.
Favorite Entrée: Earl Grey Tea dusted veal chops with caramelized shallots, purple Peruvian fingerling potatoes and petit pan squash.
Favorite Dessert: Lemon chiffon pie with dragon fruit sorbet
Favorite Restaurant to Visit on a Day Off: Finnegan's Irish Pub in Plainfield because one of my hobbies is enjoying craft beer.

Naperville Country Club, 25W570 Chicago Avenue, Naperville, 630-355-6015, www.napervillecc.org.