vice president
Chef Walter Ellerbe '04
Chef & Co-Owner
The Lucky Star & Stella Gourmet Pizzeria
Virginia Beach, VA
AS Culinary Arts
Chef Walter Ellerbe started his culinary career early in childhood by working in his neighborhood restaurant as a dishwasher and prep cook. From then on, he knew that he was destined to work in the culinary arts field.
His passion for food lead him to pursue a more formal degree with hands-on experience. He decided to attend the Johnson & Wales University Norfolk campus and earned himself a degree in Culinary Arts. Chef Ellerbe has been noted for several scholastic achievements including the Silver Key Award for academic achievement.
In May of 2004, Chef Ellerbe graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Culinary Arts and was also selected to be one of the commencement speakers for the Norfolk campus by his peers.
After graduation in 2004, Chef Ellerbe went on to become the Food Service Director for SAGE Dining Services at Norfolk Collegiate School where he creates culinary masterpieces. He’s known among his colleagues as the "Soulful and Southern Gourmet" for his southern twist to southern cuisine. Today, Walter is fulfilling his dream as the chef and co-owner of well known restaurant in the Virginia Beach area called The Lucky Star & Stella Gourmet Pizzeria in Virginia Beach, Va.
Ellerbe is currently the Norfolk campus representative for the Alumni Council, and president of the Norfolk (Tidewater) Alumni Chapter and serves as an adjunct culinary instructor at the Tidewater Community College. With plans on pursuing an additional degree in Food Science at Johnson & Wales with a minor in Culinary Nutrition in the near future, he continues to demonstrate his passions through his works of art.