Chef Trey Moses recently joined Southeastern’s community as the Mane Dish’s new executive chef and is looking forward to sharing his passion for food and cooking with students and his fellow staff.

Moses was introduced to the culinary world at a young age, thanks to his mother. She taught him all the cooking essentials, from cutting up ingredients to making sauces from scratch. She was a significant influence in his discovery of his love for cooking.

When Moses was 15, he began washing dishes and prepping food for Vincent’s Italian Cuisine down the road from his house in Metairie. Just two years later, Moses was offered the chance to become a server or work in the kitchen. His experience with food preparation influenced his choice to work in the kitchen.

“I was helping them do prep. So, butchering veal, making cannelloni, making pasta, pretty much anything they needed done on a mass scale. It was ‘Hey Trey! Come here,’ this is how you do this,’ and then repeat it 500 times,” Moses said.

Moses worked his way up at Vincent’s New Orleans location until he graduated high school and later attended Louisiana State University. During this time, Vincent’s opened a restaurant in Baton Rouge and invited Moses to be the head chef. 

Originally, Moses attended Loyola for his first semester on a basketball/baseball scholarship, then transferred to LSU after a sports-related injury. Moses continued his studies at LSU and graduated with a studio art degree in 2004.

“I never thought I would be a chef. I love to draw, to sculpt. I really love just creating artwork and I always thought of cooking as like a job. Cooking was always something I was good at, I just never recognized it,” Moses said.

Moses continued to work at Vincent’s until he was 27 years old. During that time, he was able to create and experiment with new menus and food inspired by his background in art. In 2007, Moses decided to attend culinary school at Delgado Community College in New Orleans. He went on to intern at the famous Commander’s Palace in Uptown New Orleans. 

There, Moses was introduced to the history and processes that led to the creation of his favorite southern dishes. He also learned how to command a kitchen and work as a team.

After graduation, Moses went on to open multiple restaurants throughout the South; however, he decided to return to Louisiana and follow his career closer to home and his family.

Soon after his return to Louisiana, Moses accepted the executive chef position with Aramark in 2022 and was placed at the Mane Dish.

“My mom always thought that I should teach. Being able to work at a school where I can actually teach and work with people and work with staff members is really what drew me here,” Moses said.

Moses said he enjoys creating food that brings people together, and the Mane Dish allows him to create a variety of food for everyone. He is also focused on building relationships with his team to create a positive and efficient environment for his staff.

“We are going to do it together. I am not a person who is just going to sit in the office and bark and yell. I am more than happy to go on the line and work with them and be with them when we fail and succeed,” Moses said.

Moses is taking a similar approach to his interactions with students and faculty. He enjoys talking with people and will answer any questions someone has about what is being served. Moses also takes dietary requests and encourages students not to be shy if they want to speak with him. 

Moses explained, “I call the students ‘guests’ because they are the reason why we are here. I don’t want them to think we can’t do these things. I am always approachable.”

The Mane Dish posts its menu on Southeastern’s website weekly for students. They also host pop-ups once a week, which is a chance for students to try new things or for international students to enjoy a dish from home.

Chef Trey has many exciting plans for the Mane Dish and is eager to share them with the Southeastern community. For more information about the Mane Dish and their upcoming events, visit Dining Services or their Instagram @southeasterndining.