Michael Groat is the Head Chef, and Founder of Senior Class Food Service LLC. and has over 30 years of restaurant and hospitality experience stemming from a wide range of venues and specialties.  From running a Kitchen at the University of Arizona as a student, to opening a restaurant at the age of 22, Michael is formally trained in Italian and French cuisine. He also has decades of experience in Multi-unit, F&B Consulting, Restaurant design, F&B Analytics, as well as Restaurant QA & Audits. Michael saw that the Greek Food service was a dying art and believed he could create something bigger, and better. Not only does Michael work with his chefs to co-create a diverse and mouth watering menu, but he also uses his proprietary methods to keep costs lower than the competition.

Outside of Greek Life, Chef Michael has cooked for famous clientele in the music and movie industries, managed catering for as many as 10,000 people for a single event, and managed multi-unit restaurant concepts with up to 4500 meals prepared daily.  Michael also has a Restaurant Consulting and Analytics business, specializing in costing, purchasing, labor models, projections, menu analytics, and restaurant design.

 On a personal note, Michael has enjoyed traveling to Spain, Italy/Sicily, Portugal, Croatia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Bahamas, Mexico, and more; He shares a passion for exploring the worlds different culinary cultures and influences with his beautiful Dutch wife and their 5 children. Last but not least, ask him about why he believes the cappuccino in Ortygia is the best

William Moyer, Head Chef, Manager of Operations (Alabama) graduated from high school in Tucson, AZ and began working at a local luxury resort in the foothills, Hacienda del Sol. Shortly thereafter, he was front house manager at a local grill in Tucson and gained a large majority of his kitchen and restaurant management experience here. This inspired him to continue to learn more, and thus he became a traveling chef cooking and learning in various states (South Dakota, Colorado and Utah being his favorite!) Upon returning to Arizona, he began work at the fine dining at the Desert Museum and then onto Tohono Chul Park, a nature preserve, and cultural museum deemed “One of the World’s Ten Best Botanical Gardens” by Travel + Leisure Magazine. It was here that Will met Michael. When Michael asked him to join the SCFS team they started together working Greek houses in Arizona. Will recently moved to our Alabama home in which he runs the kitchen operations at the University at Tuscaloosa and continues to grow in his passion for menu creation, and making people happy through amazing food. Outside of cooking, you'll find Will enjoying camping, fishing and being an avid outdoorsman.

Bear Cerda, House Chef (Arizona) got his start at the Arizona Cafe when he was just 15 years old, Bear has made cooking, meal planning and prep his life's work. Bear started his journey at prep and line work and worked his way all the way up to fine dining at Albert Hall, sous chef and kitchen manager roles. Bear spends his summers "off" in Alaska as a baker in the kitchen of the Silver Bay Seafood Processing plant making breads, pastries and other treats for 450 hungry workers. Bear is also an experienced butcher by trade, and credits his expertise in Latin American food to his Latin and Native American mother teaching him everything she knows.  Outside of cooking, baking, creating menus, and kitchen management, Bear enjoys to travel, weight lift, and is always excited to try new restaurants himself.

Keith Earl is our traveling trainer. He grew up in San Diego and moved to Arizona in 1994 and never found a reason to leave. His mother grew up in Japan and he has enjoyed visiting the land of his ancestors. His heritage made him passionate at an early age about Japanese culture, particularly food, kitchen and knives. As he likes to say, “Tools are your trade”. Keith specializes in Asian and Asian fusion dishes, learning directly from his mother and his grandmother. Keith began his career at the Culinary Arts in Tucson.  A self described cooking addict, Keith found himself training under some of the best chefs in the area and has had the pleasure of working at luxury resorts such as Loews Ventana Ranch where he was trained in creating ice sculptures as well as specialized cheeses. He also spent 5 years at the prestigious Omni National Golf Resort cooking for huge buffets and events including the PGA tour. Keith knows what it takes for fine dining and paying attention to the small details. Outside of cooking, Keith enjoys anything outdoors such as camping and fishing, as well as watching traveling shows.