Dan Varga

Name: Dan Varga

Restaurant: The Explorers Club, 1586 S. High St., ??? RestaurantLocation ???

Additional Info

Hometown: I was born in Parma, Ohio, and moved around the country as a kid. I ended up in Columbus when I was 13.

Background: I started in the kitchen of Harold Smith's Gloria Café. I apprenticed under Ziggy Allespach, who owned Ziggy’s Continental, and have worked for The Refectory, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, G Michael’s and Hyde Park.

Most memorable kitchen experience: Creating and executing the birthday cake for the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was a cake for the team and also the centerpiece the parade for the team. I recreated the actual hockey rink along with Stinger, the mascot, and Marc Denis, a player at the time.

Best thing about the Columbus dining scene: The variety of different restaurants to choose from. You can always find a new favorite place.