Ashburn, Va.-based Van Metre Homes has announced a partnership with Chef Spike Mendelsohn, in which the celebrity chef will serve as Van Metre’s executive chef, brand ambassador, and culinary lifestyle expert.
Mendelsohn’s career as a chef, restauranteur, TV personality and consultant spans more than three decades, and includes appearances on Top Chef, Life After Top Chef, Iron Chef America, Beat Bobby Flay and Late Night Chef Fight. He currently serves as first chairman of the D.C. Food Policy Council, as well as Chef Ambassador and Chef Lobbyist for Food Policy Action.
“Spike brings a professional level of expertise that will help us in creating the best high-quality, state-of-the-art kitchens and a culinary lifestyle for our new home buyers,” says Kevin Rabil, executive vice president of Van Metre Homes. “More and more people are looking at designing and buying forever homes, [and] want to make sure that these homes include chef-inspired dream kitchens. With Spike’s creativity and experience, Van Metre can deliver kitchens that will provide unique cooking and gathering spaces and fulfill our goal of creating the sustainable kitchen.”
In his new role, Mendelsohn will contribute to the vision and design of Van Metre Homes’ kitchens, as well as outdoor entertaining spaces. He will participate in culinary events and demonstrations at new Van Metre Homes communities, provide branded how-to videos with tips and recipes, and serve as spokesperson for Van Metre’s philanthropy and health and wellness education.
Mendelsohn’s kitchen designs will begin to roll out in Van Metre’s new homes this summer. The partnership will include strategic alliances with specific brands, to be included in Van Metre’s product options for customers.
“It’s been a dream of mine to have an opportunity to design home kitchens,” says Mendelsohn. “I’m always thinking about how to improve entertaining and cooking at my own home, and Van Metre has given me the opportunity to use my experience as a chef in world-class commercial kitchens and bring it into the home to make cooking and entertaining seamless and enjoyable. In addition to design, I look forward to being the culinary voice inside the home for all Van Metre buyers. Look out for delicious seasonal recipes, how-to videos, at home gardening practices, and so much more.”
