COMPETITOR

Dustin Dechter

COMPETITION: World Chef Championship

Dustin Dechter grew up in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles with a passion for food and music. After high school he went directly to the California School of Culinary Arts where he learned the basics of cooking and the food service industry. Since graduating in 2000 Dustin has worked in many different aspects of food service including restaurant, hotel, and catering. Dustin has held positions as sous chef at the Radisson Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica, kitchen manager at the Avery Dennison Corporate Headquarters in Pasadena, as well as head chef at Pistachio Catering in Los Angeles. Upon moving to Las Vegas Dustin worked in Mandalay Bay and The Palms before becoming the Executive Chef at Element by Westin Las Vegas. Element is the newest brand by Starwood. It is a beautiful all-suite hotel in Summerlin with a modern feel and environmentally friendly focus. In spite of living in Las Vegas, his love of music and food brings him back to California each year where he works as a chef at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival, cooking for the bands and crew. He also has traveled the country with the popular bands Slipknot and Disturbed, working as sous chef on the Rockstar Mayhem Festival in 2008. When Dustin is not cooking, he spends his time creating and DJing electronic music (soundcloud.com/dustonelv). Dustin currently resides in the Southwest part of Las Vegas with his wife and two cats.