Dear Guests,
As you browse through our website you will see that every aspect of your pesach dreams will come true beginning with your family and EVEN including your pet. We, at HLF Tours, are committed to making sure that you are cared for and pampered from the moment that you arrive at the Four Star Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort until the moment that you leave, whatever it might be that you need.

Here are a few members of our caring family friendly team:
ED HOFFMAN:
A Baltimore native, Ed Hoffman is a man who knows no limits. He’s made quite a name for himself in the food industry graduating from the finest culinary institution in America (The Culinary Institute of America). He started out with a taste for International cuisine by apprenticing in the Netherlands under one of the few Master Chefs in the world. Upon returning to America, Ed joined his mother in the family catering business. After 11 years of working as the executive chef for the family catering business Ed a business man himself established his own catering business. It has become a very successful company catering parties for AIPAC , the Israeli Embassy , and The White House amongst all the others.

Ed is not only a master chef and business man but he is also a family man. Married for 18 years to Robyn, they have one son Yoni who is the pride and joy of their life. They are active in his School, Yeshivat Rambam and involved in their son’s little league team. But Ed takes it even a step further by reaching out to other children and the community as well. He serves as the Vice-chair of the Atlantic Seaboard Region of National Conference of Synagogue Youth(NCSY). He is on the Board of Trustees for Shoresh, and is on the board of The Associated Jewish Charitie’s (Hebrew Free Loan Association). He is also an active member of his synagogue Beth Abraham Congregation.

One of Ed’s special talents that I have yet to mention is his ability to turn something simple into a creative masterpiece. Whether it’s an activity, or game for the kids or a culinary item that he has created, you can see the style, art, and passion that he instills into his creative masterpieces. And from years of experience in party planning Ed has developed a sense of decorative style when it comes to buffets and table settings that will delight those of all ages and backgrounds.
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JOSH LEWIS:
Josh Lewis was born in Forest Hills, Queens and was educated in New York. He moved to Baltimore in 1982, and began making a name for himself in the kosher food industry. He brought knowledge and know-how that he culled from working for years at various Catskill mountain resorts as well as for some of New York City’s finest caterers. He quickly mastered the nuances of the Baltimore, Washington market and rose to the top of his profession. In 1997 he partnered with Ed Hoffman and founded Oakleaf Catering Group trading as Hoffman & Co., & Lewis Caterers two of the most prestigious names in catering in the Baltimore Washington D.C., and Virginia areas for the past ten years.

Josh is happily married to his wife Simy for the past twenty-four years and they have three children, Batsheva, Atara and David. They are also the proud grandparents of a beautiful baby boy. Being in the food business and having kids of his own, Josh involves himself in the community needs. He is on the board of Ahavas Israel Charity Fund which makes sure no Jewish family goes hungry as well as providing medical assistance and social services. Under Ahavas Israel’s umbrella, Josh and Ed founded a wedding fund which gives every bride the opportunity to experience a magnificently catered wedding. He is also an active participant with Bnainu which is an organization that helps to prevent our youth from falling off the path of yidishkeit. He is also on the board of Project Ezra.

One of Josh’s unique skills is his ability to organize a food program. From ordering to production, to presentation everything will run like a well oiled machine. In addition Josh brings eleven years of Passover program experience to the table. During this time he has learned every aspect of the business from the bottom on up. His areas of expertise in running the day to day operations are room and table assignments, entertainment, program planning, problem solving, day trips and more.

He is also a very people friendly person and attempts to make a bond with all the different types of people he meets especially his employees so that there is a comfortable and productive work environment.
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JACOB FADER:
Yaakov was raised in Baltimore in the heart of the Jewish community. He has a Yeshiva background and continued his Torah learning in Israel for two years. Yaakov gives of himself by giving his time to the youth group organization of his synagogue, Shomrei Emunah Congregation. Yaakov has been working with Josh and Ed for five years; and holds the position of Vice President of Operations for Oakleaf Catering Group Inc.

His talent lies in his great imagination and ability to create wonders out of the simplest things whether it be involving food or decorations for a cocktail reception buffet. He has a decorative artistic aptitude that allows him to excel in areas that are not necessarily familiar to him. Yaakov is willing to explore and reach far beyond his boundaries. Yaakov’s charming personality makes him attractive to all people he comes into contact with. He manages over two hundred employees all of whom adore his lively personality. When he oversees a job he commands a performance as does an orchestra conductor. Every detail is attended to and all necessary aspects of a catered event are performed to the highest level, under his charge.
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MENASH SHABTAI:
Menash hails from the holiest city in the world, Jerusalem. He graduated from chef school in Israel in June 1976. He served as a head chef in the Israeli Navy and subsequently returned to the famous King David Hotel were he and been trained. In 1985 Menash became the youngest Master Chef in the State of Israel. Not only is he a master of the culinary arts but he brings to the table a vast knowledge of International cuisine having trained in Frankfurt, Germany. He also worked under well known chefs from Switzerland, Germany, France, Austria, and Israel at the King David Hotel. In 1988 Menash married and moved to the states with his wife Namoi. He is the father of five sons. What Menash brings to this program is his twenty-seven years of experience in the pesach catering business. He has worked all over the world in such locations as Mexico, Texas, New Jersey’s Great Gorge Hotel, the Pearlstone Retreat Center, Shaverick Brother’s Wisp Hotel, the Brasserie Restaurant, the Israeli Navy, and the King David Hotel. He now spends his days working as the executive chef for Hoffman & Co. Caterers continuously honing his skills to meet the challenge of changes in trends and tastes.

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