Our Team

Chef Patrick McElroy joined the Dining Services team in June of 2010. Patrick, a native to Missouri, graduated from Sullivan College in Louisville, KY, where he studied Culinary Arts, as well as Baking & Pastry Sciences. After graduation, he came to St. Louis and worked at the Adams Mark Hotel. Patrick later traveled the country, cooking in cities throughout the country, finally settling back in St. Louis as Chef of the Hyatt Union Station. After several years with the Hyatt, Patrick opened Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in downtown St. Louis and, later, Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse at the River City Casino.

Chef David Rushing joined the Dining Services team with more than 13 years of culinary experience. Chef David has worked under a former White House Executive Chef, served as chef for a private hotel in Florida, and served as an executive chef of a resort in California. Chef David enjoys giving his time and talent to charities such as the March of Dimes and James Beard Foundation. He is currently the Executive Chef at the DUC and is the campus’ Midwest Forager, a liaison between Washington University Dining Services and local farmers.

Chef Hayes Green joined Washington University Dining Services in the summer of 2008. Chef Green, a St. Louis native, graduated from culinary school in Northeast Vermont. He served as a chef for many years in Idaho before returning to cook at Miso, a sushi bar and restaurant in Clayton, MO, as well as other local restaurants.

Chef Tom Martoccio has been with Dining Services since 2014 and is now an Executive Sous Chef at the South40. Chef Tom has experience as a Culinary Instructor at Le Cordon Bleu, the Banquet Sous Chef at the Ritz Carlton St. Louis, and the Chef of Café Eau and Marquee Café at Chase Park Plaza. Chef Tom loves changing people’s lives through food.

Chef Chris Gapinski joined the Washington University Dining Services team in the summer of 2015. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Chef Chris has worked for several hotels, country clubs and casinos including Ameristar and the Renaissance Grand Hotel in St. Louis. His cooking style is contemporary American cuisine.

Chef Jon Lowe oversees Washington University’s on-campus, fine dining restaurant, Ibby’s Bistro. He’s responsible for maintaining the restaurant’s current culinary reputation among students, faculty/staff and continuing to elevate the restaurant’s commitment to the sourcing of local, sustainable ingredients.

With a degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University, Chef Lowe has spent time overseeing the kitchens at The Old Hickory Country Club and Golf Course, and Yia Yia’s Euro Café. Prior to joining the WUSTL Dining Services team, Chef Lowe spent seven years as the Executive Chef at Oceano Bistro in Clayton, Mo.

Chef Mike Healy joined the Dining Services team in 2009. His chef’s certification from the Culinary Institute of America was twice awarded Chef of the Year at Guckenheimer. He received two awards from the N.A.C.E. (National Association of Catering Executives) in San Francisco. Chef Mike was also the featured Guest Chef of Taste of Tulsa and Good Morning Oklahoma Television. Previously, he worked as the Executive Chef at The Doubletree/ Westin Hotel Philadelphia, Chef Tournant at David Slay’s La Veranda in Beverly Hills and Sous Chef at Giovanni’s on The Hill. Chef Mike likes to use his talent to, “make what people want in the best way possible.”

Chef Sara Cox leads the culinary efforts to develop a nutritionally sound dining program for the Washington University community through recipe development, use of the Food Pro system and execution of the Dine with the Registered Dietitian program in concert with Director of University Nutrition, Connie Diekman, M.Ed, R.D., L.D., FADA

She has a degree in culinary arts from the Culinary Institute of Virginia, and has spent time as an Executive Chef for such restaurants as Café Bistro at Nordstrom (St. Louis, MO) and Grey House Grill (Birmingham, AL). Most recently, Sara’s served as a chef instructor at Le Cordon Bleu in St. Louis.