Our Chefs
Our Chefs Christopher Miller and Tsitsi Helman come to us with nearly 50 years of combined experience. The culinary duo create a fusion of extraordinary experience resulting in meals that are concocted with passion from fresh, locally sourced produce within 250 miles. But it’s more likely because of their commitment to providing the best experience possible for the people at The Sequoias.
Chef Miller
Chef Miller, director of dining services, brings his culinary experience from working for The Ritz Carlton, Dr. Deepak Chopra, and Elon Musk. Chef Miller started working in professional kitchens at the age of 12, as he learned and gained skills alongside his mother and culinary giants including Julia Child and Jacques Pepin.
He learned his true passion at an early age and has carried it on throughout his career. Chef Miller’s repertoire is inspired by California cuisine with an infusion from cuisine around the globe, just as he experienced as a young boy. He believes in celebrating seasonal ingredients. “We want to keep it fresh and simple, and work with the seasons.”
Chef Helman
Chef Helman also comes from a list of discerning palates, having worked for several Bay Area tech giants, including Nerdwallet, NetApp, and Gap Inc., and was the personal chef of an Oracle Corp. co-founder.
As a health-conscious avid runner, Executive Chef Helman has more than 16 medals and sees food as the fuel for the body. After working for tech giants in the Bay Area for the past 25 years, she gravitated towards nutrition for healthy aging. She brings to the table her creativity for making residents’ favorite comfort foods plus healthy options for vegetarians and vegans. “We have a lot of vegetarians and vegans and I love to surprise them with quinoa cakes, kale salads, or cauliflower steaks for dinner.”