Meet Chef
The Chef Sunshine Catering team is comprised of talented people who are passionate about food and customer service.
Chef Sunshine Dunning
Chef & Owner
Chef Sunshine Dunning was born and raised in Seattle (when pressed, she’ll admit Kent). Not a natural cook, she was definitely a lover of eating and her mother encouraged her palate at a young age by exploring restaurants together. The years following included extended travel abroad to Southeast Asia and Europe followed by classical training at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
After school Sunshine cooked for renowned french chef Phillipe Padovani in Hawaii and San Francisco. This led to six months in France living with a local family spending mornings shopping in markets and evenings learning to prepare such things as braised rabbit, first of the season walnuts and tart au pomme.
Upon returning to Seattle she took the position of Executive Sous Chef at the Mayflower Park Hotel. The following six years were spent in Southampton and Manhattan, New York, Palm Beach, Maine, Los Angeles, France, Italy, Indonesia and the Bahamas as a private chef for the financially untroubled.
And now to now. All the buzz words– Local, Sustainable, All Natural, Organic, Farmers, Ranchers, Community, Happy Cows, Chickens ranging to their little hearts content. On the plate. For you. Happy Sigh.
Chef Patrick Kaanoi
Chef
Chef Patrick Kaanoi was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is the third oldest of a family of six. Starting as far back as his early childhood, Patrick has always believed that mealtimes are a time of celebration of life and family.
Patrick received classic training at the Gros Bonnet Culinary Academy in Honolulu. Before graduation, Patrick was hired by renowned French Chef Phillipe Padovani to work at Padovani’s Bistro & Wine Bar in Honolulu. This is where he and Chef Sunshine met. Patrick and Chef Sunshine followed Philippe Padovani to San Francisco to open Padovani’s Restaurant & Wine Bar in the Hotel Milano in San Francisco.
In early 2004, Patrick went on to work with celebrated chef Daniel Boulud at his West Palm Beach restaurant, Daniel. After six months of training Patrick transferred to Chef Daniel’s Las Vegas restaurant, DB Brassiere, at the Wynn Hotel. He was second in command at this highly acclaimed restaurant. Patrick went on to open several acclaimed venues in Las Vegas, including; Vdara at City Center, Cosmopolitan a, and the SLS Las Vegas. Patrick went on to work for MGM International’s (Mandalay Bay) for 4 years building upon his strengths in large scale banquets and catering industry. Now, Chef Patrick and Chef Sunshine have once again found their ways back to cooking side by side here in Washington. Patrick has never lost sight of his local roots, Patrick’s own style of cooking uses fresh local ingredients with classic Southern France cuisine.
Sherry Arntson
Office & Sales Manager
As Office and Sales Manager, Sherry Arntson brings her vast experience with 35+ years in the food and beverage industry to Chef Sunshine Catering, thus insuring your function is a complete success and executed to your satisfaction.
Sherry was GM at some our regions best restaurants including McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, Stanley & Seafort’s and Wild Ginger. Sherry’s expertise in both customer service and business management provides a critical element to Chef Sunshine Catering. Because every function is special and unique, her foresight in identifying and anticipating problems before they can occur, provides you with a unique “Peace of Mind” so your attention can be focused where it matters most.
With an extensive background in guest services, accounting, scheduling, inventory and cost controls, employee relations and all components of business operations, she gives us the ability to offer you the best in quality food and superior service for the absolute best price.