Food and Beverage Biographies

At Potawatomi Bingo Casino, our management is compiled of true experts in their field. Their experience in the gaming industry, both at Potawatomi Bingo Casino and elsewhere, prove to make them one of the most qualified groups of professionals in the industry.

The following are brief biographies of our Culinary team.

Michael Tsuchihashi, Food and Beverage Director

Michael Tsuchihashi brings vast experience in multi-outlet operations and a passion for quality food and service to the management team at Potawatomi Bingo Casino. Michael was recruited from Chicago where he was the director of food & beverage at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Chicago, a Hilton-managed four-diamond property.

Born in New York City, Michael has lived and worked around the globe. Michael’s father worked for an international manufacturing company that gave his family the opportunity to live in the Netherlands for six years, and in Texas for three. The combination of watching his mother cook and shop daily in Europe for fresh ingredients, and a teacher who taught commercial cooking in his Texas high school inspired Michael to attend Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. While attending Johnson & Wales, he performed his culinary internship at the Orlando Marriott World Center’s fine-dining flagship restaurant, the Regent Court. Michael graduated from Johnson & Wales University with an associate’s degree in culinary arts and bachelor’s degree in food service management on a full academic scholarship. He was the recipient of the Johnson & Wales University “Outstanding Culinary Fellowship” award and the National Restaurant Association’s “Salute to Excellence” honor.

Upon graduation, Michael moved to Japan where he lived and worked for six years. While in Japan, Michael was the assistant food & beverage director for the Tokyo American Club, an exclusive private member’s club in downtown Tokyo. It was at the Tokyo American Club where Michael developed his skills to manage multi-unit operations at a first-class property. While working in Japan, he had the opportunity to travel extensively around Asia and Australia, enjoying the many different types of cuisine and service both continents had to offer.

Since joining Potawatomi Bingo Casino in 2000, Michael has been a driving force in building and driving the concepts of a number of new food venues during two expansion phases. He oversees more than 600 team members and 12 food venues. He has earned several awards, including being a recipient of the Forty Under Forty award from the Milwaukee Business Journal. Additionally, Michael has been vital in Dream Dance being named a four-star, four-diamond restaurant, and The Buffet being honored as the best buffet in Milwaukee by the Shepherd Express.

Michael is a member of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association and the Greater Milwaukee Hotel/Motel Association board. He resides in Mequon with his wife, Martha, and daughter, Mia, and enjoys traveling with his family.

Peter Gebauer, Executive Chef

Potawatomi Bingo Casino executive chef's, Peter Gebauer, path to Milwaukee is one that has taken him around the world—a path that has spanned across the continents, many different countries and numerous ports of call. With his breadth of experience, Gebauer has brought with him a culinary expertise aspired to by many and matched by few.

Peter is a native of Germany, born in the Bavarian city of Rosenheim and raised in the picturesque countryside of the Chiemgau. He found his passion for cooking at an early age, when he helped his grandmother, also a chef, prepare the local specialties of the region. At age 15, he was accepted into a formal apprenticeship program at the Parkhotel Crombach and graduated in 1974. He then worked in the kitchens of the Steigenberger Hotel chain as well as Hilton International, becoming familiar with the various culinary regions of Germany.

Throughout his career Chef Peter has earned many memberships and awards. He is a member of the American Culinary Federation as well as the German Chef’s Association/WACS. He is also a strong supporter of the March of Dimes, American Red Cross, and serves on the Advisory Board for the Waukesha County Technical College Culinary program.

At Potawatomi Bingo Casino, Chef Peter oversees all culinary operations and works to plan and develop new concepts for the food and beverage department. He enjoys working in the hospitality industry, dealing with interesting people, and producing innovative dishes all by fusing the most quality ingredients and best methods.

Peter would like to pass on his worldly knowledge to others. “I want to serve as a coach and mentor for the entire culinary team. I’ll provide leadership, vision and support for the food and beverage team in planning the Casino’s expansion. I’d like to foster an open culture where empowered employees strive to be the best in their class by providing flawless service resulting in exceptional customer loyalty.”

During his time away from the Casino, Chef Peter is an avid soccer fan, practicing martial arts with his son, entertaining, traveling and spending time with his wife and family.

Jason Gorman, Dream Dance Chef

A true Midwesterner, Chef Jason Gorman was born and raised in Chicago. At an early age his family relocated to Atlanta, where the southern hospitality he experienced had a huge impact on his future style of cooking. His mother’s Italian heritage and love of “Big Night” family dinner events showed him how food can be celebrated. This eventually led him to work in some fantastic restaurants. NAVA in Atlanta, and both The Grape and Aquaknox in Dallas. Even though Jason is self-taught he gives a lot of credit to the chefs he studied under, such as Russian chef Arkady Mirestky, celebrity chef Kevin Rathbun and the founding father of Southwestern cuisine, Stephan Pyles. Their influences helped Jason define his own style and hone his passion and led Jason to be recruited during a nationwide search to head up the kitchen at Potawatomi Bingo Casino’s four-star, four-diamond, fine-dining restaurant Dream Dance.

Since joining Dream Dance, Chef Jason further elevated the restaurant’s impeccable reputation on a local and national scale. Dream Dance has received AAA’s Four Diamond award and the DiRoNA (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) Award from 2004 to 2007. In 2006, Jason received Sante magazine’s Most Innovative Cuisine Award for the Midwest region. Local publications have raved about Chef Jason’s cuisine, as well. The late Milwaukee Journal Sentinel restaurant critic Dennis Getto awarded Dream Dance with their highest rating - 4 stars - and said “Chef Jason is cooking the freshest and most creative cuisine in the city.” The Shepherd Express nominated him as the best chef in the city. And recently, the Capital Times of Madison, WI, wrote “Dream Dance chef Jason Gorman may be the state's best culinary artist, creating cuisine in a most unlikely location that puts Wisconsin on the national culinary map.”

Dream Dance's seasonal menu features Jason's progressive style of cooking—a balance of innovation, comfort, bold flavors and glorious ingredients. His mission is to provide a cuisine which celebrates the history of Wisconsin. He proudly refers to it as “New Wisconsin Cuisine.” Jason supports local farmers and his inspirations have created amazing dishes such as “Lobsterwurst,” Alaskan King Crab Golabki, Struass Veal Bierochen and Sprecher Root Beer Venison.

Jason resides in Milwaukee with his wife Jennifer and what he says is his best creation, their first child Emelia Rose. In his spare time, Jason enjoys reading old cookbooks of Wisconsin, going to movies, dining out and playing guitar. Jason humbly admits he first dreamt of being a rock star.

Sergio Avila Favela, Executive Pastry Chef

Sergio Avila Favela has extensive experience in creating high-class pastries and other desserts at a variety of hospitality establishments. 

Spending much of his professional career working in Las Vegas, the casino environment is home to him. He has worked at Caesar’s Palace Hotel & Casino and the Venetian Hotel & Casino, where he has prepared pastries for weddings, birthdays, banquets and other special events. Sergio has remarkable talent when it comes to building a pastry team and training new culinary team members. While working in Las Vegas, Favela was instrumental in planning and implementing training courses for new recruits.   

Since 2008, Sergio has overseen and executed all aspects of pastry operations in Potawatomi Bingo Casino’s Food & Beverage Department. Currently, he oversees his team of two, however, when the pastry shop opens, he will oversee approximately sixteen team members.

Sergio has his degree from the Instituto de Ciencias Mexico in accounting. Residing in Brookfield, he enjoys spending time with his family and golfing.