Charlie Santoina Redden, Jr., recognized as Chef Charlie, is the first Certified Executive Chef in the history of the White House Presidential Food Service. A retired Navy Culinary Specialist, Chef Charlie was born in Florence, South Carolina, and raised in the tough streets of the East Riverside Projects in Wilmington, Delaware, where he also received his education.

While attending Howard High School of Technology from 1974 – 1978, he was mentored about the food industry by Lucian Dillingham, who was the Commercial Food Instructor and is still one of the most influential and successful restaurant business owners in several international airport locations.

After graduating from high school, Charlie was selected from the top three students in his class to work at the Hotel Dupont in Wilmington, Delaware, under the strict training of Executive Chef Roland Johnson. Charlie learned not only the food service aspect of catering and food service procedures, but also a great deal about life and how to get ready for the real world. He shared his dreams and aspirations to be a chef with Executive Chef Johnson, who encouraged and taught him to always remember where he came from and how to consistently conduct himself as a young man in order to achieve his goals.

Chef Charlie took the lessons he learned from Dillingham and Executive Chef Johnson with him when he joined the Navy in 1980 as a culinary specialist preparing food for admirals, commodores, and captains.

The last seven and a half years of his 21-year career were spent working at the White House. From the time he reported, he was assigned the catering supervisor role, directly responsible for catered functions at the White House Mess. From October 1995 to November 1997, that meant preparing and setting up more than 600 catered events and receptions—by himself—for President Bill Clinton and his senior staff members. This feat had never been achieved in the history of the White House Culinary Specialist Program, especially not by one person.

Chef Charlie is currently making plans to open a unique restaurant in the metropolitan area of Upper Malboro, Maryland and welcomes your interest and support.