Who We Are

Chef Lisa Counts discovered her passion for cooking at a young age, helping her family make gallons of tomato sauce each summer at her nonna's house. A Kendall College graduate with degrees in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, Lisa honed her skills in Chicago's top kitchens, including 312 Chicago, NAHA, Custom House, Henri, and Spiaggia. She played a pivotal role in opening Acanto, inspired by a transformative culinary trip to Italy.

After years in demanding restaurant roles, Lisa found renewed purpose teaching at The Chopping Block, where she now serves as owner of the Lincoln Square location. Dedicated to preserving its legacy, she inspires students to embrace the joy of cooking while expanding the school’s reach in Chicago. 

Chef David Wieseneck has been teaching at The Chopping Block since 2021, sharing his love for French bistro fare and comforting braises like brisket and Cioppino. Originally from the Chicago suburbs, he attended the California Culinary Academy and has been cooking professionally since 1992, driven by a lifelong passion for food and flavor. His favorite ingredients - olive oil, salt, cheese, butter, and lemon - reflect his bold, satisfying cooking style and love of fat.

David finds inspiration in great ingredients, past meals, and the joy of feeding others. Outside the kitchen, he likes to spend time with his kids, see live music, watch movies, and play ping pong. He believes cooking should be fun, forgiving, and full of experimentation - and that a good apron can be transformative.

Chef Dionna Israel has been inspiring home cooks at The Chopping Block since 2012 with her fun, flavorful approach to food. A graduate of Schoolcraft College and Wayne State University, she’s been cooking professionally since 2001 and is known for the spicy Southern flare she brings to the kitchen with comfort foods like her sage-sausage chicken and biscuits with fire gravy, and her Grandma's carrot cake.

For Dionna, cooking is both creative and calming - a way to transform simple ingredients into something extraordinary.  Influenced by her mood, curiosity, and love of food, Dionna encourages new cooks to experiment, have fun, and learn from every dish. When she’s not in the kitchen, she’s homeschooling her four wonderful children, seeking out sushi with her husband, training martial arts, or singing at her local church. Her must-haves? Butter, cream, all things spicy, and definitely chocolate.

Chef Drake Mandrell has been teaching at The Chopping Block since 2021, where he’s best known for leading sushi classes with a laid-back, flavor-focused style. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, he’s been cooking since 1995 and credits his passion for food to a lifelong love of eating - starting with catching and cooking fish as a kid in Dallas, Texas. His signature ingredient? Soy sauce.

Drake enjoys experimenting with new ingredients, drawing inspiration from his appetite and curiosity. He encourages new cooks to taste everything and embrace the process. When he's not in the kitchen, you'll find him enjoying Korean BBQ, exploring tech, or spending time with his young daughter, Willa.

Chef Sara Salzinski has been a cornerstone at The Chopping Block since 2002, bringing decades of experience and a deep love for culinary technique. A Kendall College graduate who trained at renowned restaurants like Ambria and Blackbird, she’s especially passionate about teaching technical classes like sauces and pasta. Inspired early on by family dinners and deep-dish outings at Pizzeria Due, Sara feels most at home in the kitchen, whether she’s roasting meats, braising, or crafting Thanksgiving dinner.

For Sara, cooking is both relaxing and creative - a chance to unwind and nourish loved ones. She finds inspiration in fellow chefs, food media, and her husband, who also teaches culinary arts. When not in the kitchen, she’s enjoying wine, gardening, listening to music, spending time in nature, or exploring the city’s food scene. Her advice to new cooks: experiment fearlessly, season well, and always taste as you go.

In 1997, after 17 years as a professional chef, Shelley founded The Chopping Block with a vision to make cooking approachable, fun, and accessible to everyone. Her innovative concept combined a recreational cooking school, gourmet kitchen store, and private event space - all under one roof. This fresh approach quickly resonated with Chicagoans, and The Chopping Block grew to become one of the busiest culinary schools in the country.

Shelley built a trusted, award-winning brand known for making cooking accessible and fun. In 2023, Shelley successfully sold The Chopping Block Lincoln Square to Executive Chef Lisa Counts, marking the end of an extraordinary chapter in culinary entrepreneurship and the beginning of new opportunities ahead.