His earlier culinary career includes cooking at Axe, Wolfgang Puck Catering, and Campanile.  CJ competed on Season 3 of Top Chef, where he distinguished himself through his approachable yet competitive spirit.  He most recently appeared on Top Chef Masters as sous chef to Michelin-starred chef Michael Chiarello.

A former professional volleyball player standing at 6' 8", CJ approaches the culinary world with the utmost of confidence, having developed a love and appreciation for food during his time competing in Europe.  CJ loves to share his admiration of food with others and has produced 20 videos on classic American cuisine for Videojug.com, a web based video "how-to" site.  These instructional videos remain a popular draw on the site.

CJ currently resides in Venice, California and is keeping very busy.  He has been a spokesman for the California Strawberry Commission, designed a special breakfast menu for Hilton Garden Inns, and has spoken for the American Cancer Society.  CJ has cooked at the James Beard house and also participated in the James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour three times.  He is now the executive chef at the The Yard, a gastropub in Santa Monica.  CJ graduated from the California School of Culinary Arts – Le Cordon Bleu and holds a degree from Pepperdine University in Southern California.