About Me

Thomas C. Johnson III, better known as Chef Tomm, has spent over three decades cooking, teaching, traveling, and occasionally setting off fire alarms in the name of culinary excellence.

From the Tuscan kitchens of Florence to the food stalls of Thailand and the sugar-sculpting studios of San Francisco, I’ve chased flavor across the globe — and brought it all back to my classroom… and now, to you.

My culinary journey began in a local pizza shop and quickly escalated from flipping dough to crafting hand-pulled noodles, artisan breads, and house-made cheeses. After serving as a sergeant in the U.S. Army, where I taught battlefield tactics and learned the value of discipline and leadership, I returned to the kitchen with renewed purpose: to teach, inspire, and build something lasting.

Since 2013, I’ve led the creation of a nationally recognized culinary arts program at a Connecticut high school — a program I built from the ground up into a powerhouse of skill, mentorship, and opportunity. It remains one of my proudest accomplishments.

In 2020, I founded Whalers Helping Whalers, a grassroots nonprofit born in response to the COVID-19 crisis. What started as a community lifeline has grown into a vital organization, distributing over 1.3 million pounds of food and serving thousands of families in need. This work earned me the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award and Special Congressional Recognition — honors I share with the incredible team and community behind the mission.

Beyond the classroom, I host the online cooking show “Chef Tomm” (with over 1.4 million views), and I’m the founder of Culinary Secrets, a veteran-owned brand offering artisan oils and salts. I’m also a proud cookbook author, with titles like My Wok Through Time: A Personal Journey Through Chinese Techniques, where I share recipes, stories, and traditional techniques with the next generation of cooks.

At the heart of it all, I’m a family man. My greatest joys come not from awards, but from time spent around the dinner table with the people I love most. My two dogs — who are convinced they’re sous chefs — are never far from the kitchen and have probably left their paw prints on a few recipes along the way.

Thanks for stopping by. Whether you’re a fellow chef, a student, or just someone who loves good food, I’m glad you’re here. Welcome to my kitchen.

I’m glad you have joined the Chef Tomm Teaches the World family. Now, Come Cook with Me!

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