Chef Tom Fraker

From a very young age Chef Tom has appreciated good food and the art of cooking. “My earliest memories are of cooking with my mom when I was 5 or 6 years old. She taught me well throughout the years to come. I told her ‘When I grow up, I’m going to be a chef.’ So, naturally I went into construction. Go figure.”

For seventeen years, Chef Tom rose up the ranks to become construction superintendent. “It was actually the events of 9/11 that changed my thinking and priorities, and I decided then and there, that very day, to go another path.” Supported by his wife and family, Chef Tom resigned his position in construction and enrolled at The California School of Culinary Arts - Le Cordon Bleu, to follow his original dream of becoming a chef. Before finishing his studies at Le Cordon Bleu, Chef Tom joined Melissa’s as a Corporate Chef.

Since joining Melissa’s, Chef Tom has worked his way up to now manage the Melissa’s Corporate kitchen. It is there that he works on the research and development of new and existing products, designing and testing recipes, and writing website recipes. In addition, as a Melissa’s representative, he also attends and participates in charity events throughout the year and he attends trade shows and special events throughout the country. Chef Tom uses his creative culinary talents to create new and innovative recipes utilizing Melissa’s unique fruits and vegetables.

Outside of the office, Chef Tom loves cooking Italian food, cooking for the family, is an avid sports fan and devoted father, who enjoys his family and granddaughter. Contact Chef Tom at hotline@melissas.com.

Chef Angel Flores

Chef Angel’s love for food started at a loud, laughter-filled Thanksgiving when he was six years old. “It felt like a Scorsese movie,” he says. “Uncles patting your head, kids running around sneaking treats—it was magic.” That energy stuck with him, and years later, he found the same thrill in busy kitchens and high-pressure service.

His mom—an incredible home cook with a love for food trends—inspired him to pursue the craft seriously. “My goal was to raise the bar and impress her,” he says. After early jobs in produce he attended culinary school, graduating top five in his class from Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena. What followed was a whirlwind: Border Grill at Mandalay Bay during the rise of celebrity chefs, high-volume fine dining at Kendall’s Brasserie, and catering for the Grammys and Governor’s Ball with the legendary Patina group.

A die-hard Dodgers fan, Angel made another dream come true: cooking for sports teams like the Dodgers, Lakers, and Kings. “For me, in the kitchen, it’s always the fourth quarter. I love the teamwork it takes to get the job done.”

Now Director of Culinary at Melissa’s, Angel brings a hospitality-forward vision to everything he does. He’s passionate about connecting people to specialty ingredients, such as Pinkglow® Pineapples and Tasmanian cherries, and making them more approachable.

At home, he’s feeding a crowd and passing down his love of food. “My little one is my right hand in the kitchen.” Perhaps the next chef in training? We hope so!

Chef Marco Zapien

Chef Marco grew up relishing his mother and grandmother’s Mexican food. After deciding to pursue a career in the food industry, he graduated with honors from The Los Angeles Culinary Institute in 1997. Chef Marco began his professional culinary career as a prep cook and quickly got into the sports and entertainment industry, working in stadiums and arenas all over the country. After finding success and getting a deep understanding of venue food service, Chef Marco decided to leave behind the sports industry and join his father in their family operated restaurant, Zapien’s Salsa Grill and Taqueria.

Besides running the restaurant and his catering company, Chef Marco is the Corporate Chef in charge of Sports & Entertainment venues at Melissa’s. His daily duties include acting as a liaison to Executive Chefs in sports and entertainment venues as well as the Melissa’s staff. Chef Marco makes sure that the quality and service that Melissa’s provides them with is nothing less than perfect.

Chef Marco has a deep affinity towards his Hispanic roots. It is clearly represented in Marco’s imaginative dishes, which cross over into many different styles of cooking. When he has the spare time, Chef Marco also enjoys playing golf. Contact Chef Marco at hotline@melissas.com. 

Chef Fabiola Martinez

Chef Fabi’s passion for cooking began at a young age. “My earliest memory has to be cooking with my mom and my grandma—it’s where I started out initially.” What began as a way to spend time with family turned into a lifelong love of food and flavor.

Although she didn’t always expect to work in the culinary field, the kitchen kept calling. “I always liked cooking since for me, cooking for my family brought us together and I enjoyed it,” she says. Her experience working in restaurants—as both a waitress and a cook—eventually led her to Melissa’s Produce, where she now works as assistant to the corporate chefs.

In her role at Melissa’s, Fabiola is involved in everything from preparing meals to helping develop new recipes. “I’m able to give opinions and thoughts on the meals and recipes to the chef for them to consider,” she explains. “It’s also a learning experience since I get to see and learn about new fruits and vegetables I never knew about to grow as a cook.”

Creativity is central to her approach. “I enjoy putting my own spin on the meal I’m preparing. If the chef agrees, I carry out creating the meal while still being creative and having fun with it.”

At home, she finds comfort in cooking traditional Mexican dishes and gets excited about new ingredients, especially her favorite, the Pinkglow® pineapple. Contact Chef Fabiola at hotline@melissas.com.

Chef Jessica Fonseca

Chef Jessica Fonseca grew up surrounded by food, family, and football. “Super Bowl is like Thanksgiving in my family,” she says. “My mom would make tons of food for any and every sporting event—everything from birria to sopes.” It set the stage for a lifelong love of cooking.

While Jessica has always been a foodie, it was her four sons who inspired her to take her passion for food to the next level by becoming a chef. “They’re my food critics and my helpers,” she says. “It’s just me and my four boys,” she says. “They inspire me every day.”

At Melissa’s, Jessica brings that same hands-on passion to her role on the chef team. Whether assisting with daily production or creating exciting new dishes, she brings heart, skills, and her signature creative flair. One of her biggest roles? Preparing early-morning Saturday breakfasts for over 250 employees. “I don’t tend to make typical breakfast dishes—I make Mexican, Asian, everything. I love to create dishes with ingredients our team may not have tried before.”

Freshness and flavor are her trademarks, and she’s constantly inspired by the ingredients around her. “Working here is like working in my type of candy store,” she says. Her favorites? Black garlic, chiles of all kinds, Charentais melons, and Melissa’s Hot Honey—especially the habanero version for wings.

When she’s not cooking, Jessica finds joy in music, family, and reinventing restaurant dishes with her own “Jessica twist.”

Contact Chef Jessica at hotline@melissas.com.

Chef JC Marquez

From standing on a chair as a child to reach the stovetop beside his mother, Chef JC Marquez has spent a lifetime immersed in food. Raised on home-cooked meals made with love—like fresh gorditas, sautéed chicken with garden tomatoes, and scratch-made cakes—he developed a deep appreciation for flavor, culture, and connection through cooking.

With over 30 years of culinary leadership, Chef JC has done it all: from executive roles at private clubs and high-volume stadiums to crafting menus for celebrity events, backstage concerts, and major league championships. His career highlights include preparing meals for over 200 concerts and contributing to milestone events like the Angels’ championship season and the openings of seven NHL arenas and a football stadium. He’s cooked for notable figures including Colin Powell, Barbra Streisand, U2, Carlos Santana, Dr. Dre, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, and athletes like Mariano Rivera and David Ortiz.

A dedicated mentor, Chef JC is especially proud of the chefs he’s coached—at least 10 now hold executive roles, including one regional executive chef.

Today, Chef JC brings his culinary expertise to Melissa’s Produce, where he combines creativity with a strong commitment to customer service, menu innovation, and ingredient education. Whether crafting daily menus or supporting sales efforts, he continues to lead with the same energy that has defined his career: a love of food, a spirit of mentorship, and a deep respect for the craft.

Contact Chef JC Marquez at hotline@melissas.com.

Chef Miki Hackney

Chef Miki has loved food and cooking ever since she was a child, whipping up treats with her Easy-Bake Oven. Sharing those early creations at family gatherings, she quickly realized how food brings people together and creates meaningful cross-cultural connections.
 
While attending the California School of Culinary Arts – Le Cordon Bleu, she got her start in the kitchen as a prep chef in Southern California restaurants and entertainment venues before joining the Melissa’s team. Friendly and passionate about what she does, Chef Miki brings that same energy to every event and demo she leads. She believes that basic cooking skills are essential for everyone and takes pride in helping people understand not just how to prepare produce—but why it matters. Whether she’s teaching home cooks or sharing ideas with industry pros, she loves making food more approachable.
 
As a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, Chef Miki continues to champion culinary education, support women in the industry, and explore the flavors of the world. Her happy place? In the kitchen, cooking comfort food or baking with her grandkids—who now have their own Easy-Bake Oven. You can reach Chef Miki at hotline@melissas.com.

Chef Andrew Faulkner

Chef Andrew has always had a passion for food and cooking. Even as a youth, he began having success catering small parties in high school. “It was fun, the money was okay; I did it because it was fun.” Chef Andrew explains. After having nearly instant success, Chef Andrew decided that to pursue a culinary degree at the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon. After graduation, Chef Andrew then interned at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel, California. After his successful internship experience at the Ritz Carlton, Chef Andrew moved on to work at such acclaimed hotels as the Four Seasons Hotel and JW Marriott. Chef Andrew decided to join Melissa’s in their emerging corporate test kitchen. “It was a new concept to have a test kitchen at a produce company, and we were finding anyway that we could to justify our being there.” said Chef Andrew. The results were miraculous in associate retention and understanding of products and the culinary possibilities.

In addition to all of the testing and product development, Chef Andrew, as well as handful of others, help build Melissas.com’s first recipe library. “We accomplished a lot, in a very short amount of time,” says Chef Andrew while looking back in his time in the kitchen at Melissa’s.

Currently, Chef Andrew is Corporate Chef / Consultant Liaison, for Melissa’s Food Service. “It is something special when a chef calls us to place an order and is speaking with another Chef.” explains Chef Andrew. In addition, Chef Andrew participates in various culinary and food service industry events as an ambassador for Melissa’s.

When not sharing his knowledge with other chefs, Chef Andrew is bit of a thrill seeker, enjoying active extreme sports, such dirt bike riding and jet skiing. He also enjoys traveling. Contact Chef Andrew at hotline@melissas.com.