CHICAGO, IL. (December 1, 2008) — 1st & Fresh Catering announced today that Matthew Bishop will serve as Executive Chef of their Chicago division. Chef Bishop will oversee daily activities and menu selections, in addition to seasonal food ideas and offerings.

Prior to joining the 1st & Fresh Catering team, Chef Bishop served at Spiaggia restaurant in Chicago during the 20th anniversary year for James Beard Award-winning chef, Tony Mantuano. Prior to that, he worked as the Food Service Director of the Daley Center, Chef of PlazaMarket Bistro, and coordinated the Aramark-ACE Challenge, a culinary competition in 2005-2007.

Chef Bishop received his Bachelor's degree in Food Service Management at Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina. He credits his love of Southern and Italian cuisine as his biggest inspirations in cooking, which will undoubtedly reflect in several 1st & Fresh menu choices.

"I'm thrilled to be a part of 1st & Fresh Catering," Chef Bishop explains. "Their commitment to fresh food and superior customer service is exactly what the Windy City needs. From locally grown ingredients to visually pleasing presentations, 1st & Fresh is dedicated to refining and redefining the catering experience for consumers."

"We are thrilled that Chef Bishop has joined our team," said Nicole Quaisser, General Manager of 1st & Fresh Catering. "We look forward to seeing what he brings to the table, literally. His wealth of knowledge about food and catering overall made him a natural selection for the position."