Andrea Mallon-Griffith’s path to becoming a chef began as a child alongside her father—a Philadelphia firefighter with a passion for food—as he prepared meals at the firehouse served family-style. Days after graduating high school, Mallon-Griffith started culinary school at The Art Institute of Philadelphia for Culinary Arts on a full scholarship, based on her application project titled “A Day in the Life of a Fireman Chef.” After graduating, Mallon-Griffith worked at The Greenbrier Resort in W.Va., Primland Resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and Circa Restaurant in Philadelphia and Pursell Farms, a resort located in the Central Alabama foothills.
In 2020, after a nationwide search, Chef Rich Rosendale, CMC, selected Mallon-Griffith as a finalist for the Executive Chef position of the Residence Club in Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla. After days of fantastic food produced by each candidate, Mallon-Griffith was named the Executive Chef of Residence Club, where she oversees all aspects of day-to-day culinary operations.
