The Chef and Owner Michael Hicks/Mr. DeLucca has been in the restaurant business for 14 years, starting as a dishwasher for Applebee's in Lexington at the age of 15. What a job! But the combination of that, and his stepmother introducing him to a steamed greenbean, is what started his love for the kitchen.  

Chef Michael moved on to become a trainer for Ruby Tuesday and helped them to start many of the new stores in the southeastern region of the country.  While going to school at Clemson University    for business , he worked at Capri's a well known Italian Eatery in the Greenville Anderson area. This was his introduction to Italian cooking.  After leaving Capri's he went on to work at The Blue Heron in Clemson. If you are in the area stop in. They are serving some of the best food the area has to offer. 

After finishing up at Clemson, Michael returned home to Lexington, SC and made his only detour from the kitchen. He went to work building cabinets for Professional Contracting Services in Batesburg, SC. Although he loved building cabinets and working with wood he realized it was not where his heart was and, in 2003, he started at the Culinary Institute at Carolina.

In 2005, he started a private catering company called Tivolis, specializing in private in-home dinner parties. A service that is still offered but not advertised.

In January of 2006, he began renovations at his current location for DeLucca's Italian Grill in West Columbia. The opening day was March 21st of 2006. The restaurant has changed dramatically in the past four years due to growing customer support and hard work on the part of Michael and the Staff of DeLucca's.   

The Chef does not like writing about himself or including pictures of himself, so you get a picture of him cooking. If you have any other questions about his past or age just come in and ask him! He would love to talk to you. And yes he is young but over 18 years old.