Chef Scott Hoffner started in the food and beverage industry, as a teenager in the late 1980s, scrubbing pots, mopping floors, & taking out the trash.  Through dedication and drive, he worked his way to leading various kitchen teams.  After years of learning in the kitchen, Chef Hoffner attended the Le Cordon Bleu accredited Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon. Combining his already established knowledge of the industry with his drive to be the best, he graduated first in his class and was the inaugural winner of the Le Grande Toque Award. Over his career, Scott has worked in Las Vegas, San Diego, Portland, Oregon, and the Washington D.C. area.  He has had the opportunity to cook at renowned restaurants including Mille Fleurs in San Diego, Aureole at Mandalay Bay for Charlie Palmer, and The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.   While in the DC area, Chef Hoffner spent 5 years as the corporate chef to one of DC’s premiere caterers.  In this role, he had the pleasure of preparing and catering events for President Obama and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, as well as numerous other dignitaries, congressional representatives, and embassies.  Scott also had the honor of overseeing the 100th anniversary celebration of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.  His culinary work has been featured in The Washingtonian Magazine wedding issue, the Washington Post, Catersource, and Catering Magazine. Wanting to meld his entrepreneurial spirit and culinary skills, Chef Hoffner focused on launching the country’s first crowdfunded restaurant,  Bluebird Bakery by Tom Wellings. He similarly launched and operated multiple pop-up concepts including, “Lighthouse” (a replication of Burger & Lobster out of the UK), “United States of Ramen” (a ramen and regional American mash-up), “4th Floor Wine Bar” (a French Wine Bar), “Brick & Mortar” (a craft cocktail speakeasy), and last but not least “The Forge”, a handmade burger and flatbread concept where everything was made from scratch and built from the ground up.      Chef Hoffner has worked as an independent consultant, assisting multiple new restaurants on the East Coast open their doors, including a gourmet burger spot and a quick service Greek eatery.  He now brings his talents and creativity to Weirs Beach and is excited to enhance the dining scene of the Lakes Region.