Born in Hoxie Hospital on December 18, 1976, Brian has since lived in seven different towns throughout Kansas. Brian started cooking when he was about 5 years old making pancakes with his father. Brian was interested in cooking at a young age and his family encouraged him greatly. Brian's Grandmother Tasset would save him about every Good Housekeeping recipe she could find and his Grandmother Strecker had ten sons, so the family reunions were fairly large. Food preparations took up most of Grandmother Strecker's time so I helped when I could.

When Brian turned 21, he made up his mind to attend The Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona. Brian completed the program and received his Associates Degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts and Sciences. Brian has been a Sous Chef for the PB&J Corporate and Pachamama's.

Kate Graver grew up in Shawnee, KS where on her 12th birthday received her first pastry cookbook and realized her passion for the art of baking and pastry. She made just about everything out of that cookbook over the years and still uses it today in the kitchen. She attended one semester at the University of Kansas her freshman year and fell in love with the city and people of Lawrence, but knew that she needed to follow her passion and go to culinary school. She attended the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, CA and graduated with honors in March, 2006 from the baking and pastry program.

She returned to Lawrence and is looking forward to starting her career and continuing her learning in the Pachamama's kitchen.

Roy was born in Lyons, Kansas, where he lived and grew up. He moved to Lawrence to study Journalism at KU. While attending school, he helped open Pachamama's in November of 1996. He worked as a server for one year and was quickly promoted to Manager. After managing for three years, he left the restaurant to pursue other interests.

He returned to Pachamama's in October of 2003 where he met and later married his wife Ann Lopez. They had a beautiful reception all of which took place at the restaurant with close friends and family around to celebrate. He started his own pet sitting business called Happy Paws. He was once again approached to help manage the restaurant and gladly accepted. He currently manages Pachamama's while continuing to run his pet sitting business as well.

Born and raised in Hesston, Kansas, Sam’s interest in food started in early childhood when he would watch his mother and grandmother preparing meals in the kitchen. When Sam was in the second grade his family started a bakery featuring traditional Mennonite breads and pastries. This fueled his interest even further and was he first started working in the food industry.

After graduating high school in 1996, Sam moved to Lawrence where he worked in a couple different restaurants before first coming to Pachamama’s in spring of 2000. After a few months he headed for Chicago where he attended The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago and Worked at the Renaissance Hotel. The Banquet kitchen at the Renaissance is where he met his future wife, who also is a chef, and convinced her that Kansas was actually a great place to live.

Following a year in Chicago, Sam returned to Lawrence and Pachamamas where he has worked as a line cook, sous chef, prep cook and now operations manager.

A native Kansan, Lorraine returned to her home state to study sculpture at KU. After graduating with a BFA in 2002, Lorraine and her husband, Mathew Alber, set up housekeeping in Lawrence. Until the birth of their son in 2005, Lorraine worked in the arts, directing a prison arts program in Fort Leavenworth, and in a Lawrence commercial art foundry. Following a break from the working world to focus on her son,

Lorraine joined the Pachamama’s staff as a bartender, and was pleased to move into a management position in the fall of 2006. Lorraine enjoys her dual role as bartender and manager – mixing great drinks, cultivating an exciting, upscale environment at the Star Bar, and assisting in restaurant operations.

Born in California, Dana moved with her family to Overland Park, Kansas in 1989 and remained there until graduating from high school in 1997. Shortly after graduation, she moved back to San Francisco to re-establish her California roots. While living in San Francisco and working at the Slanted Door restaurant, Dana gained an appreciation for the aesthetics of fine dining and grew a passion for the culinary arts.

She moved to San Diego in 1999, and graduated from the California Culinary Academy in La Mesa, California in 2000. Dana worked in the kitchen at The Prado restaurant and Aubergine in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles in 2003. She took a position as the Restaurant Manager at the Loews Beverly Hills Hotel. After a year, Dana moved back to Overland Park to be near her family, and enrolled in a Business Management program at Baker University.

She also attained the Assistant General Manager position at Yia Yia’s Eurobistro. In 2005, Dana moved to Lawrence after accepting the Sous Chef position with Krause Dining. She is now happy to be a part of the Pachamama's Management team.