Create a Change Now

Owner of Baja California Restaurant

Jimmy became is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and spent over 20 years at a major Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, starting as a chef, then the Executive Vice President of Food and Beverage.  Jimmy managed over 2500 employees, designing and working in the restaurants, catering and convention services. He is now the owner of Baja California Restaurant & Cantina in Las Vegas. His restaurant features fresh and unique flavors of Baja California cuisine in a beach-like resort atmosphere.

As co-founder (along with his wife, Candace Maddin) of the non-profit Create A Change Now, he has a dedication to giving back to the community by helping educate children on where their food comes from getting them hands on in the kitchen. His children’s menu has a special emphasis on healthier options for kids. Jimmy is passionate about fighting the alarming rates of childhood obesity and enjoys getting in the classroom talking to children about healthy eating.

Even since I was a little kid, I’ve always enjoyed good food. I remember with great fondness being in the country, picking collard greens, gathering fresh eggs from the chicken coop and eating blackberries that I was supposed to pick and bring home to my mom and my grandma to make pies with. The best part of all is licking the bowl with all the leftover food mixture!

Born in Mississippi and growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, I moved to California after my high school graduation. There I pursued a career in the medical field and practiced as a Sonographer and Cardiovascular Technologist for more than 20 years. In my medical career, I saw so many patients suffer with diabetes, cardiopulmonary diseases and other conditions. I was convinced that most of these patients can lead healthier lives with good nutrition and healthier eating habits. My passion for good food and cooking combined with my desire to help people eat healthy inspired me to change careers and become a professional chef.

My training and experience in Culinary Arts includes completing the UNLV Professional Chef Certification Program in Culinary Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada. I also completed the ServSafe training and certification program, the most recognized food safety certification in the U.S. today. I have received hands-on training with highly acclaimed restaurants and chefs in the Las Vegas area.

I am a member of the United States Personal Chef Association (USPCA) and adhere to its Code of Ethics in servicing my clients. In addition to providing personal chef and catering services to my own clients, I have taught cooking classes at one of the Las Vegas Private Cooking Schools. Until June 2011, I was the Culinary Director at the Bloomingdales Home Store located at the Las Vegas Fashion Mall for the last two years. My expertise includes vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free cooking. I love doing in-home cooking classes for small groups and conducting kids cooking camps; it’s very rewarding for me to see my clients develop a passion for cooking.

What’s my cooking style? I love to take classic recipes and give them a new twist. I’m a spice nut! I use spices from all over the world. I’m also passionate about cooking international cuisine; dishes that evoke the culture of various countries. To me, great food has no boundaries. As a personal chef, I would like to impact people’s lives not only by helping them eat healthy, nutritious and tasty meals but also elevating their culinary experience. It gives me great personal satisfaction to bring the joy of good food to families, just like what my mom and my grandma did. To me, this is what life is all about.

Certified Executive Pastry Chef Thomas Trevethan began his pastry career at the age of 16 with a four year apprenticeship as a Pastry Cook in Sydney, Australia under the instruction of World Champion M.O.F. Pastry Chef, Herve Boutin. After receiving his Tradesman’s Papers, Thomas continued his education in the best pastry schools in Paris, France, where he studied under World Champion M.O.F. Pastry Chefs. While in Paris Thomas undertook the DGF Culinary School Course in Advance Sugar Showpiece production.

Chef Thomas was employed by Harrods of Knightsbridge London, and by hotels in Cannes, Nice and Monte Carlo in France. He then spent several years at The Sheraton Hotel as Pastry chef in Stockholm Sweden. He then spent three years traveling the world in the luxury cruise liner industry, working first for the six star 1000 passenger ship Crystal Cruise Lines. He then joined the Silver Seas Cruise Lines, the foremost small cruise line in the world. Chef Thomas was the Executive Pastry Chef for The Ritz Carlton Hotel, Cancun, Mexico for 4 years. He was a member for the pastry Advisory board and assisted in the Openings of the Ritz Carlton South Beach Miami, Grand Cayman Island and Cancun Mexico.

In 2008 Chef Thomas attained Certification from the American Culinary Association of Certified Executive Pastry Chef (CEPC), and he holds the western chair for the National American Culinary Federation pastry advisory board and is an active member.

In February, 2010, Chef Thomas attended Michelle Obama's launch of her Let's Move campaign and Chef's Move to Schools Initiative at the White House in Washington, D.C.

Born on the Mediterranean Island of Sardinia, Chef Chessa has had a passion for food from a very young age. Whileliving in Sardinia, he traveled each season to various northern and southern Italian regions, embracing the opportunity to learn all of the basic techniques and ingredients unique to each region.

Chessa received personal guidance from many highly-regarded professional chefs throughout Italy, gaining experiences that allowed him to master the diversities of his culinary practices.   Chessa has worked in the finest kitchens throughout Italy, Houston and Washington D.C. and joined Restaurateur Piero Selvaggio’s award-winning Valentino Restaurant Group in May of 2003. He began his career with Valentino working the line stations and as sous chef under James Beard award-winning Chef Luciano Pellegrini.

His parents, Italian immigrants, settled in Southern Indiana after the birth of their 1^st son.  After 6 more sons were born, they welcomed Dominic Gerard into the world in 1963.  A total of 8 in all, the Tedesco boys were raised in a Midwest world very unlike their Sicilian roots.  However, Tedesco stayed true to his Italian heritage and learned to cook at his mother’s side.  From his early childhood, when Chef Dominic Tedesco was barely able to reach the stove, He was obsessed with curiousity about the appetizing aromas that wafted from the pots and pans.

Chef Dominic opened his first restaurants in Indiana and Kentucky.  With his Mediterranean look and his southern accent, “The Hillbilly Italian” became quite popular with the locals.  He also became well known on the competitive circuit winning various awards for his pizza recipes.

Chef Dominic’s competitive spirit reached a pinnacle when he qualified to be part of the US Pizza team.  Presenting his culinary masterpieces in Salsomaggiore, Italy, he placed 2^nd in North America at the World Pizza Championships in 2004.  This experience made Chef Dominic realize he wanted to take his career to a new level.

So, at the age of 40, he decided to return to the classroom and finish his culinary degree in Las Vegas.  He graduated in 2006.  Since that time, he has been sharing his pizzas and Italian dishes with a whole new audience.  After a stint at MGM Grand and time spent in the corporate culinary world, he has now found a new home in Dean’s Place, an Italian eatery.  As their Executive Chef, he has been able to perfect his dishes further; creating a unique dining experience for all who encounter him.  Regardless of a change in geographical location, Chef Dominic has never lost his charm or that Southern accent.  His work is truly blooming in the desert.

Alessandro Stoppa was born in Venice, Italy in 1977. Stoppa realized his passion to be a Pastry Chef when he was a young child. During his life in Italy, he began to travel to various regions of his native country, providing him an opportunity to learn the basic techniques and ingredients unique to each area. Gold Medal Pastry Chef Parassina Enrico is one of the chefs who influenced him to become a pastry chef. In 1996, Stoppa began working at the five-star Hotel Cipriani in Venezia. In 1999, Stoppa was hired as the head pastry chef inside the four-star Hotel Rosa Alpina in San Cassiano. In the summer of 2000, Stoppa moved to Spain where he became the pastry chef at Restaurante Roccoco, located in Barcelona.

In 2002, Stoppa set his sights on North America. Upon his arrival, Stoppa joined Restaurateur Piero Selvaggio’s renowned Valentino Restaurant Group. He began his career with Valentino as the Pastry Chef for Piero Selvaggio Valentino in the Venetian Resort and Casino and Giorgio Café and Ristorante in the Mandalay Bay Place.

In 2006 Stoppa began working at the Bellagio under Chef Jean-Philippe. After nearly two years of training at the Bellagio, Stoppa returned to Valentino Restaurant Group where he is currently the Executive Pastry Chef.

Sterling Burpee is Executive Chef/Vice President of Hospitality Operations for the Culinary Training Academy (CTA), an internationally recognized model for workplace education and vocational training. In this role, he builds on the CTA’s successful relationship with 26 major Las Vegas hospitality properties to develop training and job opportunities in the hospitality industry.

Chef Sterling supervises daily culinary operations, as well as overseeing culinary apprentice programs and the food and beverage training and curricula. He is responsible for the catering operations and the restaurant, menu design, hiring, and all front-of-the-house operations.

Previously, Chef Sterling held positions such as Executive Chef of the Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas, Executive Chef at the Hanover Marriott, Senior Banquet Chef at the Marriott Marquis in Manhattan, Executive Sous Chef at the Sands, and Corporate Chef at UCLA. In 2009, he was named Restaurateur of the Year by the National Restaurant Association, and in 2006 and 2007 he was named one of the top 15 African-American chefs in the country by Ebony magazine.

With more than 26 years of professional cooking and kitchen management experience, Chef Sterling credits his apprenticeship with Master Chef George McNeill with teaching him the importance of professionalism and the quality and presentation of foods.

I began cooking professionally at the ripe old age of 15 years old, prepping cabbage soup and flipping leo omelets and washing dishes at a local deli. I continued to cook my way through high school and college, earning beer money and a degree in economics at the University of Illinois along the way. Despite my enjoyment of the restaurant world, a career in the kitchen never crossed my mind.

After a few years of toiling in an office, however, I decided that there’s no place like home and in the kitchen I was home.  So I enrolled at Kendall College Culinary School in Evanston, IL and earned my degree in culinary arts.  After a year cooking in sunny Sonoma, CA, wine country I returned to Chicago and got a job on the line at a new restaurant opening in my neighborhood, Bistrot Zinc, run by a large and talented rockstar French chef, Rene Bajeux.

Well…  I learned a lot from Rene and within 3 years he was gone and I was running Bistrot Zinc, Café Zinc, and opened a second Bistrot Zinc on the Gold Coast.

Shortly thereafter Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises came calling.  It seems they were opening a monstrous French Bistro at the Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and needed a chef.   I told them “d’accord” and shipped out to Paris, Las Vegas.

Mon Ami Gabi was an immediate smash hit and became one of the 10 highest grossing restaurants in the country.  After 4 years as the executive chef  at MAG it was time for me to do my own thing.  It was 2003.  That’s when Firefly* Tapas Kitchen and Bar was conceived and subsequently born.

Firefly* is centrally located so that restaurant and club and casino employees and entertainers and performers can stop for tapas and sangria after their shifts and also so locals and visitors can hit the Fly* from any corner of town.  The eclectic list of tapas and cocktails caught on and we’ve been bangin out covers ever since.

Next up is another Firefly* in Summerlin.

Rock and roll…

Born in Florida to Cuban and Colombian parents, Oscar A. Toro began cooking with his grandmother at an early age, preparing traditional Cuban dishes and experimenting with bold flavors. Raised in a family that entertained and traveled often, Toro developed an interest in hospitality and was inspired to pursue a culinary and hospitality degree at Johnson and Wales University in Miami.

Armed with a refined knowledge of the food industry after graduating in 1999, Toro began his culinary career in French-American fare as Chef de Partie at the Four Season Hotel’s Fountain Restaurant in Philadelphia. For the several years following, he continued to work in acclaimed kitchens, spending time at Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia and at Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago. As Toro perfected his French cooking technique, he found himself drawn to Asian flavors, enraptured by a bounty of new ingredients at his fingertips.

Returning to Philadelphia in 2003, Toro transitioned into Japanese cooking as Sous Chef at Morimoto. In 2005, he moved on to Asiate in New York’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel, which allowed him the opportunity to fuse French and Japanese techniques. Driven to unlock culinary secrets outside of his home country, Toro accepted a position at the renowned Tetsuya’s restaurant in Sydney, Australia. There, his love for modern Japanese cuisine and international travel flourished.

As Toro’s quest to discover the culinary world continued, he spent three months traveling across Japan and Southeast Asia, sampling every type of cuisine he could find — from street food to fine dining. Returning to the United States in 2009, Toro accepted a position at New York’s celebrated Italian restaurant Del Posto before finding a home on the SUSHISAMBA team in 2010.

As chef de cuisine at SUSHISAMBA strip in Las Vegas, Toro says the highlight of his work is the opportunity to channel the inspiration from his travels—stretching six continents in the past five years—into his work. At SUSHISAMBA strip, Toro’s international culinary journey can be found on every plate.

Savvy, animated, and altruistic, Dominique Solomon has made people take notice in her field of the culinary arts. She has worked her way up the food chain at a young age and has proven herself to be an asset in any kitchen she enters. Her client list and resume reads like an E! Network primetime lineup with names like Michael Jackson, Lamar Odom, Khloe Kardashian, Charlie Sheen and Alicia Keys.

Celebrity chef Dominique started ICP as a result of her love for natural health and beauty. Her career as a chef to the stars has given her the platform and foundation to properly help people in a significant and meaningful way. As a culinary artist and health advocate, Dominique understands the desires of many to live a healthy life, and she is here to assist in that process.

ICP stands out from the rest by providing innovative products, the best information and online resources that promote healthier life-styles for everyone. We all have the potential to be the best we can be. But, sometimes we need a little guidance- and ICP does just that with a little fun and style in the mix!

For more information please visit www.incrediblechefproductions.com!