Molly Jansen, Hospitality Department Chairperson and Faculty

Molly Jansen is the Department Head for the Hospitality Department at Monterey Peninsula College.  Having a passion for the hospitality industry and for education, Molly has been working on the Monterey Peninsula in the Hospitality Industry since 2003 and at Monterey Peninsula College since 2012.  Molly is dedicated to helping build positive leaders in the hospitality industry.  

Molly is an active member of the Monterey County Hospitality Association Education Committee and Rancho Cielo Committee as well as serving on the CSUMB Sustainable Hospitality Management Advisory Board.  Molly has a Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona and a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University.  Molly’s career has taken her to Seattle to work for Marriott, France to work at a Michelin Star Restaurant, E. Hampton Long Island to work for a private country club, NYC to work for a full service hotel, and then to the Monterey Peninsula to work in a full service hotel, as well as for multiple contract management companies. 

André Adam, MPC Baking and Pastry Chef Instructor

My name is André Adam and I am currently a pastry chef instructor in the hospitality program at Monterey Peninsula College (MPC).

I have been a pastry chef for over 40 years. I started my career at 16 years old as an apprentice in Colmar, in the Alsace Region of France. After graduating I worked as one of three pastry chef at the famous Auberge de L’Ill a 3 star Michelin restaurant in Alsace. As part of that kitchen team I also had the opportunity to work at the Dolder Grand Hotel in Switzerland.

After working several years, I went back to school to be a Maitre pâtissier (Master pastry chef). After graduation I moved to California and was offered the position of head chef at Pâtisserie Bechler in Pacific Grove and worked there for 12 years.

In 2001 I took the position at MPC and have worked there since.

I live on the Monterey Peninsula with my wife Teri from whom I am inspired daily. We have been married for 28 years and have 2 children, Jessica and Jean-Luc.

When I am not baking, or cooking for my family I enjoy gardening, wood working, and riding my motorcycle.

Jorge Caughman, MPC Sustainable Culinary Arts Chef Instructor 

Chef Jorge has spent most of his life around food. Even as a young boy, his mother regularly assigned him to the chore of cooking dinner for their large family. Wanting to exercise his creative side, chef Jorge received his formal training at the Epicurean School of Culinary Arts where his innate talent for cooking was refined. 

Further, Chef Jorge enjoys the business and marketing side of hospitality management, sustainability, and culinary arts. He has been formally educated in these topics and holds a Master’s of Management from Cambridge College.

Chef Jorge’s love of food and the entrepreneurial business come together in one branded service: Chef Jorge Enterprises. Over the past 30 years, he has been able to generate full marketing and management campaigns with focused branding and targeting via cookbooks, restaurants, catering, product development, television appearances, radio/television advertisements, and online. Through this work Chef Jorge successfully created both local and national audiences for his past restaurants, catering, food products and services

Now, his focus has turned towards guiding the next generation towards honing the craft of cookery. Chef Jorge is thrilled to offer his services as a professor, instructor, and workshop leader in the area of sustainable culinary arts and hospitality at Monterey Peninsula College.

Amy Ferguson, MPC Culinary Arts Chef Instructor 

Having taught culinary arts for the past 15 years, it seems fitting to tell more about myself through the lens of food. I have had a delicious life thus far and I know there is still more to sample. It would be impossible for me to narrow down my favorite dishes as I have spent most of my life traveling the world. My childhood memories are wrapped up in the smells and tastes from Cameroon, Turkey, and Nigeria where my family was posted for the Foreign Service - USAID. We were actively involved in the communities and took as many opportunities as we could to travel and learn from the culture and people around us. I have clear memories of the sights and smells of the meat and vegetable markets in West Africa and the spice markets of Istanbul. 
I attended MS, HS, and university on the East Coast of the U.S. My big-blended family had a round table and an open invitation for anyone who happened to stop by for a meal. I have delightful memories of busy kitchens filled with food, laughter, and family. We  cooked, ate, and cleaned up together every day and many of the dishes had connections to the places where we had lived or traveled. When my younger brother was adopted from Cambodia we made sure he had all the food items he missed from his homeland. That was the first time I experienced the fragrance of fish sauce - truly a distinct Asian smell.  
I met my husband at university and we migrated to Florida where we began our teaching careers. After a few years we were thrilled to get teaching jobs in Brazil. I confess, I was most excited about the food and the people. There is nothing more memorable than a meal of fried fish and cassava with some local tropical fruit. The culinary delights of Brazil and other South American countries are endless. 
I moved to Asia 27 years ago for a job at the Singapore American School. Singapore is a food and travel mecca. It is a blend of flavors from various peoples, cultures, and religions. My husband and I and our two children took advantage of the amazing travel opportunities from this island hub whether it was around Southeast Asia or other locations such as New Zealand, Australia, or South Africa. Travels to destinations such as Thailand and Bali were planned with the sole purpose of sampling the delicious local cuisine. I have been sharing my love of food while teaching culinary arts to Middle School students. I am proud of the Cooking for a Cause fundraisers I organized with the classes earning money for much needed nutrition programs in India. My passion for making sourdough bread and leading baking classes for students, parents, staff, and domestic helpers has connected me with bread lovers from all over the world! 
I am always amazed at how connected we all are through food. Many of those spices I smelled in Istanbul when I was a child are the same aromas I have experienced while traveling in India and Southeast Asia. Food is a beautiful way to connect us all no matter where we come from or where we are going. I know that my two grown children will forever be connected to their Asian roots through the dishes they grew up eating. I love that the culinary world has no boundaries and that we are all able to connect and share experiences through the delights of food.

Alvin Quinol, MPC Culinary Arts Chef Instructor 

 I’m originally from Las Vegas. Moved to the Peninsula 13 years ago. I’ve been working in the Hospitality Industry for 17 years. Started as a dishwasher/prep at a small breakfast & Lunch Restaurant while going to culinary school at the Art Institute in Las Vegas. I graduated in 2007 with an associate in science. From there I’ve worked at multiple places from small mom & pop shops, franchises & chain restaurants, to stadiums, casinos, and hotels. 

As a cook, I wanted to learn all kinds of styles and techniques from other great chefs in this industry so I could develop my skills in the kitchen and become a great chef like my mentors. When I was still in Las Vegas I’ve worked at The Treasure Island Hotel & Casino, opened Yellowtail in Bellagio, and opened Bar Masa in City Center. When I moved here to Monterey, I’ve worked at Estebans in Casa Munras, Benihana’s as a Teppanyaki Chef, P.F. Chang’s as a wok cook, Portola Hotel in Peter B’s, Monterey Plaza at Schooners, Monterey Bay Aquarium doing catering events, and Pebble Beach at The Bench.

I got my first Sous Chef Job at Levi Stadium (49ers New Stadium), running the VIP Suites area and the catering department. From there I became the Executive Sous Chef at Ventana in Big Sur and at Saltwood Kitchen & Oysterette in Marina. Then pandemic hit. After the pandemic, I landed a job at Quail Lodge & Golf Club as the Chef de Cuisine. After being there for only 7 months, I was promoted to Executive Chef.

Jaye Luke, MPC Wine Instructor

Jaye has worked in multiple tasting rooms in Monterey County over the past decade. These experiences have helped her learn more about wine and wine service. Whenever she visits a new wine region, she likes to try a glass of wine and a yoga class. Jaye designs her classes to maximize engagement and learning. Jaye received her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2001 from the University of Kansas. She completed her master’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis on learning disabilities in 2003 from the same university. After teaching in special education classrooms K-12 she wanted to learn more about behavior and started her PhD in Educational Psychology at Georgia State University. She earned her degree in 2012. 

Erin Herendeen-Hill, MPC Wine Instructor

Local certified sommelier Erin Herendeen-Hill, C.S. provides the food and beverage community on the Central Coast with all things wine for close to twenty years.

In addition to teaching the Wine Service class with Monterey Peninsula College in the Fall 2023, Erin currently supports multiple local wineries in brand building and key account wholesale business.  Current winery partners include  I. Brand and Family  Winery, Kobza Wines, Dorcich Family Vineyards, Corral Wine Co., and the highly respected import wine distributor Grand Cru Selections.

Erin mentors and supports her business partnerships through creative consulting, wine  training, and wine program development with key leaders in the food and beverage community.

Erin has a history of guest service team trainings and world class hospitality thanks to her previous leadership positions with The Pebble Beach Company, Meadowood Napa Valley, Disneyland and the Sierra Nevada Brewery. 

Erin has also supported freelance wine writing for the Monterey Herald and central coast event management. Events include The Big Sur Food & Wine, Gourmet Fest, Pebble Beach Food and Wine, the Napa Valley Wine Auction, and Outstanding In The Field.

When Erin isn’t supporting her wine related passions she loves to spend quality time with her husband, & their two boys upon the Monterey Peninsula.

Roxanne Langer, MPC Wine Instructor

Roxanne Langer is a sommelier, wine writer and international wine judge who has tipped her glass around the world looking for the best wines, champagnes, cognacs, and whiskeys. She has held executive positions with Napa Valley wineries, international winery associations, and a prestigious cult winery in the tawny hills of Bel Air, California.

Langer is the co-founder of LadySomm, a wine edutainment and experience company which provides wine programs to corporations, associations, universities and C-suite executives. She also owns Carmel Wine School (carmelwineschool.com) and is co-author of Churchill, A Drinking Life: Champagne, Cognac and Cocktails (Skyhorse Publishing NYC).

A frequent speaker at wine festivals and aboard cruise ships, Langer is a two-time graduate of the University of the Pacific (B.A & M.A.) where she wrote her master’s thesis on wine. She attended the University of California at Davis Community Education Program in Viticulture and Enology and has studied under WSET in the UK and the American Sommelier Association in the US. Langer has traveled extensively through 40 countries focusing mainly on wine regions and has written about wine for many national wine publications.

In addition, Langer serves as Vice Enchansson for the Los Angeles Chapter of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, is on the Monterey Chapter board for Les Dames d'Escoffier International and is a member of Women of the Vine & Spirits, Women for WineSense (past Sacramento president), CMO Club (Chief Marketing Officers), Women of Wine, Monterey, CA.

Roxanne has two lovely daughters and resides in Carmel-By-The-Sea.

Lindsay Peelman, MPC Business and Work Experience Instructor

Lindsay Peelman has been instructing business and work experience education at Monterey Peninsula College for five years. A community college alumna herself, she graduated from Delaware Technical Community College with an Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration/ Customer Service Management. She transferred to Wilmington University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management. After working in the telecommunications industry and nonprofit she decided to return for her Masters in Business Education at Ball State University. With encouragement and support from her colleagues at MPC she decided to pursue her Doctorate in Education with a focus on Leadership and Innovation at New York University. Her dissertation focused on increasing Latinx enrollment in work experience education. Directly after her summer 2021 graduation she started implementing the recommendations from her research, students are already benefiting, work experience enrollment numbers are reflective of that. In her spare time she serves on the board of directors for a local nonprofit as the programming chair and vice president, runs a multi-level girl scout troop, and volunteers with the United Way Monterey County VITA program, preparing taxes alongside her business students.