A Tucson native, Lancaster initially pursued a political science degree at the University of Arizona to prepare for law school. After her aunt helped her realize her dream of cooking, she nixed the courthouse for the kitchen and enrolled in the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Scottsdale. Hoping to study under some of the best chefs in the world, Lancaster packed up her knives and relocated to France where she completed the most comprehensive training available at Le Cordon Bleu Paris and earned her Le Grande Diplôme in 2008.

Lancaster continued to hone her craft abroad where she worked as a private chef in Paris and held positions at the Michelin-rated French dining destination, Restaurant Guy Savoy, and the historic luxury hotel, Hôtel de Crillon. During this time, Lancaster read chef Grant Achatz’s cookbook, Alinea, and set her sights on Chicago. She eventually relocated to the Windy City in 2011 and trained in molecular gastronomy for a year under the acclaimed chef at his Michelin-rated restaurant, Alinea.

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Following her departure from Alinea, Lancaster worked as a private executive chef and enrolled in Loyola University Chicago to pursue her BA in French & Communications. After another stint overseas to partake in the university’s study abroad program, John Felice Rome Center in Italy, Lancaster completed her studies in Chicago and became the Executive Resident Chef at Sur La Table in 2016 and later a private Executive Chef. Yearning to be back in a kitchen surrounded by others passionate about food and seeing both herself and others learn and grow, Lancaster left the Private Chef life and moved back into the kitchen. 

Amber’s expertise includes leadership roles at Kimpton Hotels, SOHO House Chicago, Aparium Hotel Group, Culinary Director for The ‘Quin House in Boston, and most recently as the Corporate Culinary Director for Table One Hospitality bringing her back to her original roots of where she originally started cooking for Chef Michael Mina, but working for Patric Yumul & David Varley as they continue to grow & shape the future for Table One Hospitality. 

A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Amber is also an Associate Board Member for The Trotter Project, a 501(c)(3) a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education and mentoring of the next generation of culinary talent. When the chef coat is off, Lancaster can be found indulging her inner foodie at different restaurants throughout the city, taking her dogs to the dog beach, reading and rolling out her yoga mat.