Chef Tom Carbone

As Executive Chef of Brookdale, Tom Carbone finds joy in being a part of our patients’ journeys, helping them progress in recovery through healthy foods and nutrition.  

Driven by a passion to learn as much as he could, Tom’s love for the culinary arts began at a very young age. He began cooking at home with his mother and during school for class projects. At the age of 15, Tom started working for DePierto’s, an Italian catering company in Dunmore, PA. Soon after, he would land an internship at the Hilton at Lackawanna Station, in downtown Scranton. As an intern, Tom applied to Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island, where he would soon be accepted. From that moment, he says he “never looked back,” going on to receive his degree in 1990. 

Upon graduation, his passion for the culinary arts flourished as he moved to Florida to pursue his career further. Spending 28 years in the Sunshine State, Tom gained tremendous hands-on experience working for some of the most well-known and respected chefs in the state. Some prior appointments include Turnberry Isle Country Club, the Doral Hotel, the Delano Hotel and Sous Chef at La Fountain. He opened his own restaurant in Miami at 26 and credits Florida for his knowledge on Caribbean and island cooking, such as Cuban and Jamaican foods. Tom also had the opportunity to cook for many celebrities during his career including Jean-Claude Van Damme, Madonna, Jerry Lewis, Gloria Estefan, Emilio Estefan and Luis Guzman. 

Originally from Scranton, Tom made the move back to NEPA after being offered his current position at Brookdale. Outside of work, you can find Tom enjoying the outdoors, as he hunts, skeet shoots and goes fishing.  

Tom describes his role as Executive Chef as his “dream job,” finding it extremely gratifying to be able to contribute to our patients’ experiences here and overall recovery journey, while working with an incredible culinary team and staff. He looks forward to continuously teaching our patients the importance of nutrition in long-term sobriety and making Brookdale a wonderful place for our staff to work.