Teacher of the Year, 2020-2021
Florida ProStart Educator of Excellence, 2023
National James H Maynard Award for Classroom Instruction, 2023
Chef Bates started his foodservice career at 14, working after school every day at Gooding’s Bakery, learning the basics of quantity production of fine pastries. He continued to work in foodservice outlets through high school and into his college years in Orlando, then again during graduate school in Texas. After deciding to radically change directions, he returned to Florida and enrolled in the Florida Culinary Institute (now the Lincoln Culinary Institute) in 1993.
Since then, Chef Bates has worked in more than 20 restaurants, resorts, and catering companies including:
- Chef Christopher Events, Orlando
- PF Chang’s China Bistro, Orlando
- Gotham City Bar and Grill, Boca Raton
- Legal Seafoods Restaurant, Boca Raton
- Walt Disney Resorts, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Orlando
- TGI Fridays, South Beach, Orlando, Boca Raton, Jupiter, & West Palm Beach
- Top of the Tower, Boca Raton Resort and Spa, Boca Raton
- Bistro Zenith, Palm Beach Gardens and Boca Raton
- Pebbles, Manuel’s on the 28th, Harvey’s Bistro, Orlando
After a long career in foodservice, Chef Bates decided in 2010 to hang up his black and whites and start a second career teaching English. After only three years teaching, he made the move to the Career and Technical Education department, assuming control of the Culinary Program. Since then, he has shepherded Wekiva Culinary through tremendous growth, Magnet status, and many “firsts,” such as catering the Superintendent’s Luncheon, winning multiple grants, and forming relationships with business leaders and companies across Central Florida.
Chef Bates is proud to serve the students of Wekiva Culinary as Program Administrator and looks forward to the many exciting “firsts” yet to come.