As a teenager, Chef Sam Blackburn started working in restaurants, after learning cooking fundamentals from a great-grandmother. “Working with food is what truly makes me happy,” says Chef Sam. When he’s cooking, he’s inspired by the world around him—whether that’s the daily weather, the current season or a food publication—and pushes himself to create new dishes. For his role at Sodexo, he travels across the country, working with other chefs to plan menus.