Rene Adame
Executive Chef
Rene Adame, executive chef at Edwards Lifesciences, likes to say he was “born and raised Bon Appétit,” having been hired at another corporate account in 2009 as a prep cook straight from an externship he started with Bon Appétit during culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. “The great thing about working with Bon Appétit are the vast quantity of locations where I have had the honor to begin, build, and nurture my career with Bon Appetit.”
During the pandemic, in addition to feeding essential workers at Edwards (a medical technology company), Rene and his culinary team have been honored to be asked by Edwards to prepare and donate thousands of meals to homeless shelters in Irvine, CA, and around the region.
“Rene is a tremendous asset to our operation. His passion and creativity are evident in each dish served in our cafes,” says General Manager Andy Cvitanich. “His dedication has earned him the respect of our customers, clients and his team. He is an incredible partner who gives everything he’s got, every day.”
Rene’s favorite pandemic-era go-to meal: “Ramen. Definitely Ramen. I have always been a sucker for Asian food. I find most of the dishes are clean, simple, and minimal ingredients required. However, during this time of COVID, noodles and vegetables have been a staple for me and my family. The ingredients are easily accessible, easily held without the loss of quality, and can be eaten without the need of meat protein (just add an egg).”
Someday he hopes to once again eat… “Korean BBQ. I love Korean BBQ and miss going to my favorite local spot. I’ve successfully, with a lot of practice, replicated the meal at home but there is nothing like going to a restaurant — and not to have to worry about the clean up, haha!”