Chef Nathan Flaim (LUCA, Lancaster)
My name is Nathan Flaim, and I grew up in the small town of Ephrata, Pennsylvania. At 15, I landed my first job as a dishwasher at a tavern down the street from my house. Within six months, I moved onto the line—cooking burgers, steaks, salads, and anything else that came through the door. That’s where it all began. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was truly good at something. I was hooked, and I wanted more.
In 11th grade, I applied to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and a few months later, I was accepted. I spent two years there earning my associate degree in culinary arts, but as graduation approached, I felt a growing pull to see more of the world.
I returned home to save money, and once I had the opportunity, I bought a one-way ticket to Italy. I started in the south, working at a restaurant called Jambe, where I worked for free in exchange for a small apartment near the beach in San Marco. After two months, I moved north to Parma to work on an agriturismo farm. There, I cooked alongside the farmer, Iris, every day—an experience that reshaped not only how I saw food, but how I saw life. She remains one of the most important influences in my journey, and we are still close to this day.
Because of visa restrictions, I had to leave Italy every few months. During those periods, I traveled through Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea—spending about a month in each country, eating, writing, and seeking out the places and flavors I had long admired.
Parma became my home for nearly nine months in total, grounding me in a deeper understanding of simplicity, seasonality, and connection.
Toward the end of my travels, I went to London to visit a friend and ended up staging at a restaurant called The Dairy. I was offered a position and stayed for a short time before my journey there was cut short, and I was sent back to the United states under the suspicion of working illegally, which I most definitely was.
While I was abroad, I had been in contact with Chef Taylor Mason, the owner of LUCA. We had connected over a shared love of food and the romance of old-world cooking. When I told him what had happened, he welcomed me into his kitchen immediately.
At LUCA, I found a home. I grew quickly and eventually became Executive Sous Chef, spending several years developing my voice and refining my craft. I later moved to San Francisco to work at Angler, a Michelin-starred restaurant on the Embarcadero. I started as a line cook and was promoted to Sous Chef within six months. Over the next two years, I pushed myself further than I ever have in my career.
Eventually, I felt the pull to return to food that was more personal to me. I came back to LUCA, where I became Chef de Cuisine shortly after.
Today, as a 2026 James Beard Award Finalist, I continue to hone my craft, driven by a deep respect for ingredients, a love of storytelling through food, and a commitment to creating meaningful experiences around the table.