Aaron Stumb is an accomplished chef and Wake Tech alumnus and has been a culinary instructor at the college since 2010.

Stumb was executive chef at Mez Restaurant in Durham for more than 10 years, where he was responsible for purchasing, creating menus and hiring and training staff. As a chef consultant for the Chapel Hill Restaurant Group, he helped create the Mez concept and led management teams at a number of successful Triangle restaurants, including 518 West, 411 West and Spanky's. He also assisted in establishing Chapel Hill Restaurant Catering. Prior to that, he served as sous chef at Firebird's Grill and completed the company's management training program.

Stumb earned an AAS in Culinary Arts from Wake Tech in 1997 and joined the college as an adjunct instructor in 2010. In 2019, he became a full-time instructor, teaching classes and helping develop the culinary curriculum. He completed a bachelor's degree in Leadership in the Public Sector from North Carolina State University in 2023 and became an assistant professor in 2024.

Phil Bales has two associate degrees: Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management from Purdue University and Culinary Arts from Schoolcraft College. He has 30 years of experience in restaurant, hotel, business dining and health care environments. He has enjoyed leading diverse staff teams to excel and meet the needs of demanding consumers. 

Bales has been teaching at Wake Tech since 2009 and enjoys teaching and learning from students. He is from Indiana and moved to North Carolina in 1984. He enjoys playing basketball and is an avid fisherman.

Jay Beaver grew up primarily in Virginia Beach, Va., and loved as a child to build and create things with my hands – and watch his father dad make his mother's pancakes.

While in college in South Carolina, Beaver fell in love with cooking food at a professional level. He has more than 20 years of service and experience in the food and culinary arts industries, having worked for and with the likes of Chefs Tom Colicchio, Daniel Boulud and Andrew Carmellini in New York City and then Scott Crawford and Steven Greene in North Carolina.

Beaver also loves music, hiking, playing pickleball and spending time with his family. He has a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics, an associate degree from the New England Culinary Institute and has been teaching at Wake Tech for more than five years.

After earning an associate degree in Business Management, Leslie DeMarco completed the professional culinary career training program at L'Academie de Cuisine with highest honors. She continued her training in the Washington, D.C., area, working for fine-dining restaurants and caterers. She also worked as a private chef for prominent families and provided contract kitchen help for Blair House, the President's guest house, as needed during diplomatic visits. 

A move to North Carolina in 2004 prompted DeMarco and her husband to open a café and catering operation in the RTP area, where she was able to combine her business expertise with her culinary interest and training.  She served as chef and pastry chef for this successful venture for six years.

Jim Hallett has a degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University. He has worked in hotels, country clubs and restaurants throughout the Southeast. He also worked for Keystone International in Colorado, opening restaurants at the resort.

Hallett has been teaching at Wake Tech since 1996 in a variety of classes. He is a Certified Executive Chef through the American Culinary Federation and a Certified Hospitality Educator through the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute.

Matt McGovern has a Culinary Arts degree from Wake Tech, where he studied abroad in a student exchange program with Lychee Hotelier le Touquet, France. He was born and raised in Upstate New York, where his passion for authentic regional dishes led him to the restaurant industry. He has opened and expanded multiple restaurants between New York and North Carolina.

McGovern volunteers for Walk for Hope to help raise awareness and funding for mental health. He enjoys spending time with his family, usually with everyone in the kitchen, a relaxing round of golf and the beautiful North Carolina weather.