Our Team
Hue-Chan and John Karels, Owners
It all started with cookies! In 2007, Hue-Chan, encouraged by her supportive husband, John, had the inspiration to make a lifestyle change and depart from her FDA regulatory and compliance consulting practice to start an artisan cookie business. In starting her business, she soon discovered federal, state and local laws required her to produce her cookies in a commercially licensed and equipped kitchen. However, because there were no facilities like this in the Washington DC Metro area, Hue-Chan’s culinary business plans came to a halt. She called churches, community centers, food shelters, schools, restaurants, and catering facilities. Although most of these places did not allow other businesses to rent out their space, the few that were willing, would only do so after normal business hours. A few wanted Hue-Chan to sign a long-term sublease. Just starting out in the food business, she was not sure how quickly her business would grow and if she could commit to these requirements. Not one to back down from life’s challenges, she pushed forward in her quest for an affordable licensed kitchen and found she was not alone. This process gave birth to the core concept behind “Open Kitchen” which is to provide licensed kitchen facilities for rent on a cost-effective and flexible basis. After some reshaping of their original vision, Hue-Chan’s and John’s Open Kitchen became a reality when its first location at the West Metro Plaza in Falls Church, VA opened in the Fall of 2009.
Kenneth Hughes, Executive Chef
Chef Ken, a Washington DC native, with over twenty-five years of culinary experience, trained in the classic French style of cooking. He embarked on his culinary journey while the farm-to-table movement was evolving on the West Coast. An entrepreneur himself, he has worked as a culinary consultant, most recently having helped launch The Wine House in Fairfax, Virginia and Vinnie’s World Cuisine in Frisco, Colorado. Chef Ken received culinary degrees from the San Francisco/Napa Valley region under the tutelage of the late, renowned Chef Ken Wolfe. He trained under distinguished chefs such as Chef Rene Verdon, the first White House Chef, and the late master Chef, Albert Tordjman, an early pioneer of the vertical presentation of the 80s and 90s. Inspired by his time in California, Europe, and South America, Chef Ken hopes to bring those flavors to Open Kitchen. He believes in Open Kitchen’s dynamic concept of healthy, fresh food and looks forward to interacting with guests.
Holly Camalier, General Manager
Growing up with parents in the restaurant business, Holly discovered at a young age that she had a passion for food service. Holly began her food service career at 15 as a cashier. Over the years, she worked as a lead host and server. Holly also has several years of working behind the scenes doing administrative work in the restaurant industry. Being an avid baker and eager to try new things, Holly often tested recipes on her family and friends. Growing tired of the “corporate restaurant” atmosphere, Holly decided to try something different and started a small catering company. When she and her family moved to Virginia, she soon discovered that there were no local commercial kitchens to rent that would meet the needs of her growing business. Searching online late one night, she discovered the Open Kitchen website. She and David soon met with the owner, Hue-Chan and they started to develop a great business friendship. Assisting Open Kitchen in the shaping of its original vision of a commercial timeshare kitchen into a true culinary community, Holly is finding the independent restaurant atmosphere right up her alley.
Jackson Yordon
Jackson Yordon joined Open Kitchen in January 2011 as a Culinary Instructor and Sous Chef. Originally from Florida, his culinary career began over 6 years ago. Classically trained in French Techniques, Jackson studied at LeCordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, in Atlanta Georgia. After graduating, he trained under award-winning Chef Kevin Rathbun of Rathbun’s of Atlanta.
Combining French techniques with Southern regional cuisine, Jackson enjoys using fresh, local, high quality products to provide an exceptional dining experience to all of his guests. He values developing close working relationships with local food purveyors, which coincides with Open Kitchen’s philosophy, to produce farm to table results. Jackson also enjoys working in a cohesive culinary space, one that works closely with both the kitchen and service aspects to produce a more enjoyable guest experience. He loves the intimacy an open kitchen provides, enabling him to share his love of food with others and allows him the opportunity to teach what he has learned throughout his culinary career.
Jackson brings his unique style to our kitchen with his Southern “ya’ll” and infectious laugh. His warm, down-to-earth personality is immediately welcoming. He thrives on rising to the challenge of a fast pace Saturday night dinner service, yet loves the “one-on-one” intimacy of leading a cooking class. Jackson looks forward to his future at Open Kitchen as both a Culinary Instructor and Sous Chef collaborating on innovative and creative culinary concepts.
Linda Skiles, Business Manager
Born and raised in the Midwest, Linda loves to Eat and Entertain. She quickly found out you can’t accomplish this without “Cook”ing. When asked by friends Hue–Chan and John Karels to help Open Kitchen with a week- long project, she jumped at the chance. What better way to learn more about cooking than “getting close to the fire”? That project, completed last June, was just the beginning of her journey with Open Kitchen.
Climbing the ladder, she has worked in local supper clubs and restaurants since high school. She was involved in her family’s restaurant assisting with whatever needed to be done. She brings a variety of operational and management skills to Open Kitchen with her diverse background in accounting, logistics, and team management.