Eckerd Youth Alternatives, Inc.
Clearwater, FL

When Robert Hesse was 15 years old in 1993, he never dreamed he would be where he is today: happily married, the chef/proprietor of three soon-to-open restaurants in New York, modeling a Big & Tall line of chef jackets, cooking for and doing public appearances with professional athletes, and enjoying celebrity status as a contestant on the current season of HELL'S KITCHEN, which airs Thursday nights 9:00 - 10:00 PM ET/PT on FOX.

His troubled childhood was leading him towards a much different path in life. "I got about as deep into trouble as a kid can get," recalled Robert. "I needed help or I was going to wind up dead or in jail."

When he was 15, his mother sent him to E-How-Kee (now known as Eckerd Academy at Brooksville) on the recommendation of a family therapist. According to Robert, she was trying to save his future, and perhaps even his life.

"Even though I knew it was better for me and my family to be away from my Dad, I was still pretty upset over the breakup of my parents' marriage," confided Robert. "I had reached a point where I didn't trust adults anymore."

Discovering His Potential:
The nurturing, caring approach of Eckerd Academy's counselors, coupled with outdoor adventures and experiential education activities, began to give Robert a new perspective. "I started to trust adults again, have confidence in my abilities, and I discovered that I had a good work ethic" he recalled.

He also discovered his love of cooking at the Eckerd program. One day each week, in order to reinforce math, writing and life skills, the students plan and cook meals for themselves at their campsite. They also cook for themselves on multi-day canoe adventures.

"I knew back then that if I could make canned bacon and powdered eggs taste good on river rafting trips that I could make anything taste good," he stated.

His career goal at 15 was to return to Eckerd Academy at Brooksville and work as the head cook. But life had bigger plans for Robert. He became a professional chef about 13 years ago, after enrolling in the Academy Culinary School in Lakeland, Florida. A "culinary gypsy," he has traveled around the United States, working in restaurants in 22 states and two different countries. Robert has also worked from the mountains of Colorado to the beaches on the Hamptons.

Feeding Kids' Potential:
During the week of May 17th, Chef Robert will be visiting Eckerd Academy campuses in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. He will be sharing his success story with students and also cooking a full meal for them.

"I want to give kids hope that they can also have a really good future," he stated. "They may have made some bad decisions in life, but they have the ability to achieve greatness if they will just believe in and apply themselves."

"Even though Robert recently had to leave the Hell's Kitchen show due to medical reasons, his caring and concern for vulnerable kids makes him a true winner in our eyes," stated Eckerd Youth Alternatives President & CEO David Dennis. "He's using his celebrity status to make the world a better place. Jack and Ruth Eckerd would be so very proud of him."