Though he first began experimenting with cooking at age 16, Hara, a native of Los Angeles, began his culinary career in earnest when he enrolled in a local hotel and restaurant school in Santa Barbara. After graduation, Hara worked with a number of celebrated chefs such as Michel Richard at his flagship restaurant Citronelle at the Santa Barbara Inn Hotel, John Downey at the acclaimed Downey’s in Santa Barbara, and Camille Schwartz at Restaurant Mimosa. Hara further refined his culinary technique at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, and then at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Canada.

At the age of 26, Hara moved to New York City and became executive chef of The New York Times two-star restaurant Chez Josephine. Rounding out a career marked by a series of gifted mentors, Hara sharpened his skills alongside Rick Laakkonen before joining David Burke as executive chef at first Davidburke & Donatella and then at Fishtail. In 2007, Hara was named a “Rising Star Chef” for New York City by Starchefs.com for his continued innovation in the culinary world.