Chef Biography
Born in 1958 in Rutherford, New Jersey, Gary Strehl graduated with honors from the CIA, then apprenticed in New York City at Tavern on the Green, Sign of the Dove and Maxwell’s Plumb. He then trained and worked his way up the kitchen ladder at Regent International Hotels in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Manila and Kuala Lumpur.
He was working as executive sous chef for the Rockefeller’s Rock Resorts at the Kapalua Bay Hotel on Maui, Hawaii when Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki hired him as their executive chef. In 1995, the Great Chefs television crew showed up at the Prince Hotel to tape Chef Strehl for the Discovery Channel’s Great Chefs of Hawaii television series.
He returned to the mainland to work at the Lenfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, DC, then into operations at Crestline Hotels before becoming general manager for the Marriott Courtyard Hotel in Jacksonville, Florida in 2011. In 2012, he moved back to the Washington, DC area to become executive chef of the Westin Tysons Corner Hotel where he remains today in 2016.
Recipes
Seared Smoked Ahi with Lychee Salsa and Ogo-Wasabi Sauce
Serving: 4 Print Seared Smoked Ahi with Lychee Salsa and Ogo-Wasabi Sauce By Great Chefs September 23, 2015 Seared ahi has become a favorite in many island restaurants serving regional cuisine; this version adds a smoky flavor. Ogo is a kind of seaweed found on island beaches. You can omit it entirely from the wasabi […]
Kalua Ducklings with Mango-Tomato Relish and Chili Pepper Cream
Serving: 4 Print Kalua Ducklings with Mango-Tomato Relish and Chili Pepper Cream By Great Chefs September 21, 2015 Traditional kalua, or ground-roasted meat, inspired this dish. The slow braising of the duck — combined with its spiciness, the sweetness of the mango, the peppery flavor of the arugula, and the crunch of the phyllo — […]