John Windorfer

John Thomas Windorfer, age 68, of Gulf Breeze, FL passed away on February 8, 2022. He was born in St. Paul, MN to John Henry and Ellen Ann Windorfer.

Survivors include his wife, Judy Ann Windorfer; daughters, Ashley Myah Windorfer and Elizabeth Hope Huber; stepdaughters, Jennifer Caputo and Ashley Tommasi; grandchildren, Mychaela Thompson, Aniyah Huber, Dominic Huber, Lauryn James, Ryan James, Avery Larrick, Kary Chaumont, and Ava Tommasi; sisters, Kristin Novak, Katherine Elhardt and Carol Ramos.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, March 20, 2022, from 3-5:00 pm at Sammy B’s Restaurant, 705 Cadet Court, Lebanon, TN 37087.

Tom worked for 49 years as a Chef and Certified Executive Chef in various hotels from Minnesota to Las Vegas, Nashville and Atlanta. He worked at The Historical Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Historical Union Station Hotel in Nashville, Opryland USA Nashville, Lebanon Country Club and Cedar Creek Yacht Club.  After retiring he returned to work at The Naval Air Station Pensacola until his passing.

Tom graduated from Mounds View High School in St. Paul, MN in 1972 and then attended St. Paul Vocational Institute graduating from their Culinary Program in 1974.  He continued his education thru the American Academy of Chefs and the Culinary Institute of America for Nutritional and Foreign Cuisine.

Tom received numerous achievements and awards including being certified as an Executive Chef by the American Culinary Federation in 1993, two silver medals in ACF Approved Hot Food Competition, three bronze medals in cold food competition, silver medal in 1994 for Certified Angus Beef National Hot Food Competition, Custom Foods National Hot Food Competition Bronze Medal in 1995, Middle Tennessee Chapter Chef of the Year 1993, recipient of the 1995 Award for Extraordinary Professional Achievements, 1996 American Culinary Federation Presidential Medallion, Induction into the American Academy of Chefs 1997, American Culinary Federation Southeast Region Representative for the National Ethics Committee, and Chairman of the Board for the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the American Culinary Federation.

In lieu of flowers the family ask that donations be made to Magdalene’s House magdalenes.org to help stop human trafficking or to navarrebeachseaturtles.org to save the sea turtles.