About me:

 My name is David Wood and I have over 30 years of experience in the restaurant business, and a Masters degree in Teaching.  I was born and raised in Michigan, and I got my first restaurant job at 16 yrs old. 

I moved from Detroit, Michigan to the Coachella valley in 2003 to help open a restaurant that was operated by James Beard award winning Chef Jimmy Schmidt.  While concurrently finishing my teaching degree, I worked for the last 10 years prior to teaching, at  La Spiga Ristorante Italiano, in Palm Desert.  My wife and I have 3 adult children that are graduates of La Quinta High School, and we have another recent graduate from Shadow Hills High school.  I am also the Garden Club Advisor.  

We teach more than just culinary skills in the academy.  We also teach our students the standards of professionalism that will help them be successful in any career. Our program covers the business side of restaurants too. Many students   don't realize how valuable all of it is until they start working, and then they understand that we helped them build a strong foundation for success as an adult.  

Hello, my name is Felicia Benavides. I have been the Culinary Arts Specialist here at LQHS for two years and excited to start my third!

I was born and raised in the Coachella Valley.  After high school, I moved to Orange County where I lived for about 10 years. I moved home to the desert when I decided I wanted to do something I loved as my profession, which was cooking!  I have always had a love of cooking and was happy to find out it was something I could do and be paid for it.  I worked at three different restaurants in the valley before I went into the private sector of cooking.  I became a private chef for a family in Indian Wells.  I worked for this family for 14 years.  I traveled to Northern Michigan during the summers and often traveled to their beach home in Santa Barbara to serve high end dinners daily for the family and their guests.

 If you hear me referring to "my girls" I am talking about my two dogs, Abbie and Roxy.  We rescued Abbie thirteen years ago and Roxy 11 years ago.  I love these girls just as they were my own flesh and blood!  My husband Michael and I work hard so they can have a great life!

While I am not a classically trained chef, each of my positions in the kitchen has taught me how to be a better chef and I continue to learn with each passing year. I have enjoyed sharing my knowledge with students the last two years and can't wait to continue sharing my knowledge this year!  If you have any questions, I am an open book! I look forward to working with each of you this year!  Go Blackhawks!

Chef Felicia