Meet the chefs
Gabriel Goldfarb
Gabriel’s passion for cooking began at a young age while helping his Bubbie make biscuits, pick blueberries and eat wafer cookies at her home in Manchester, NH.
In high school, he took a job bussing tables at a local Greek restaurant. While working there, he was exposed to the excitement in the kitchen and the joy that delicious food brought the guests. From this experience, Gabriel became a determined (if not consistently successful) home cook.
Growing up on Massachusetts’s North Shore, fresh seafood and farm produce were always nearby – allowing Gabriel to cook with high-quality ingredients.
Gabriel attended Massachusetts College of Art & Design, where his focus was on interrelated media. While in school, he found that working with his peers to put on events inside and outside of school was energizing and inspiring. The team effort and group problem-solving influenced his decision to work as a line cook and immerse himself in the restaurant scene of Boston.
Gabriel’s love for artistic collaboration, food, fun, and fulfilling gatherings culminated in creating Slate Dining, which aims to create an unforgettable dining and event experience.
Michael Culbert
Born and raised in East Boston, Mike watched Emeril Lagasse every night with his grandfather. After they’d watched, Mike would stomp around their small kitchen screaming “BAM!” just like Emeril. This was just the start of his culinary journey.
After graduating high school, Mike enrolled in Newbury College’s culinary management program. While in the program, he competed in culinary competitions on campus and across the Northeast. After the program, he joined the banquet team at The Country Club in Brookline, MA. Here, Mike realized his passion for cooking gave him unlimited potential. Inspired to continue growing his craft, Mike joined the team at Sarma in Somerville, MA, where he worked as a line cook and eventually Sous Chef. Mike was awestruck by the spices, pace, attention to detail, and unique ingredients used at Sarma. After five years there, Mike parted ways with the four walls of a professional kitchen to start his next venture in the culinary world, Slate Dining.
Slate Private Dinners allows Mike to share his passion with guests in personal settings where incredible food can be enjoyed and great memories created.