Chef Heinz Lauer has over 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Beginning his formal training at age 14, as a culinary apprentice at the exclusive Brenner's Park Hotel located in Baden-Baden in the Black Forest. Lauer’s career has taken him throughout Germany and the United States as well as the Caribbean. He's worked as an Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Manager of such highly acclaimed establishments as the popular Dorint Park Hotel and Hotel Coehnen in Germany and on ships of the Norwegian Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

Lauer, who has cooked for numerous celebrities including the former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, singer Gloria Estefan, tennis pro John McEnroe and comedian Jerry Lewis literally grew up in the hotel and restaurant business. His parents owned and operated three restaurants in Germany's Rhine Valley.
After leaving the cruise line industry, Chef Lauer took on the position of Executive Sous Chef and Chef Instructor at the prestigious California Culinary Academy in San Francisco where he taught courses in Basic Skills, European Cuisine and Consumer Education.

Chef Lauer holds a Master of Science in Hotel/Restaurant Management and is recognized as a Certified Executive Chef by the American Culinary Federation and as a Certified Culinary Educator by the German Government; a Certified Food and Beverage Executive by the American Hotel and Motel Association; and a Certified Culinary Professional by the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
After holding the position of Director of Food Operations for the Las Vegas Club Hotel & Casino, Chef Lauer was hired to open the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Las Vegas in 2003 and has since than influenced the education and the life of thousands of culinarians.

He serves on the Board of Directors of the ACF Chefs of Las Vegas, participates in the Chef for Kids breakfasts and is an active member of the Food & Beverage Directors Association of Las Vegas. Chef Lauer also devotes time to the Board of Directors of the Nevada Restaurant Association and is also a member of the Verband der Koeche Deutschlands (German Chefs Association) and serves on the board of Odyssey Lifestyle, supporting the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Chef Lauer was Chef of the Year 2004 for the Las Vegas Chapter of the American Culinary Federation and is the recipient of the World Gourmet Summit America Founders Trophy of 2004.

In October of 2005 he was inducted in Hong Kong into the prestigious “Les Ami’s d’ Escoffier Society” as Honorary President.

In December of 2005, Chef Lauer was admitted as Chef Rotisseur to the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs.

He appeared on several television and radio shows and he was the host of “The Chefs Table”, a weekly radio talk show on AM 1400 Las Vegas which aired in 2004 and 2005.

From December 2006 to January 2008 Chef Lauer held the position of Associate Education Manager for Career Education Corporation, who currently operates 14 Le Cordon Bleu Schools in North America.

Due to reorganizing of the corporation and his previous experiences as Executive Chef he was asked to return to the College in Las Vegas in January of 2008.

His involvement in culinary education over the years has let to many recognitions, including the nomination as Educator of the year 2007 for the American Culinary Federation Western Region and for the Foodservice Educators Network International in 2008.