Chef Deidre100
I am Chef Deidre100 America's Kitchen Coach. From my first job in the culinary industry at 16 years old in Disneyland's Critter Country/New Orleans' Square Restaurants I started as a Hostess/Cashier then 5 years later in 1993 age 22 I left as a Chef's Apprentice and moved to Texas. I helped my Aunt paint and buy all kitchen appliances for her restaurant Catch 21 inside of Kazi's Bar and Grill where I cooked, cashiered, waitressed and open and closed the kitchen 7 days a week. I would also barmaid after the kitchen closed for Kazi's.
I came back to California after two years and married with children.
I became a stay at home mom where I still catered cupcakes and sandwiches for school and family events.
When my children were school age I was a volunteer aid and a substitute teacher for 1st graders. I paused my teaching career in 2004 to help my brother during his multi organ transplant recovery. In 2006 I went into broadcasting with my broadcasting degree to teach Internet Radio Broadcasting which is you r modern day podcast now. In 2008 we started Burbank Community Radio which transitioned to Indie100 ,com online radio.
In 2010 I went to culinary school for my Associates degree and completed in 2013. I placed second in the Department of Agriculture Avocado Throwdown where I made avocado fries and an avocado mango smoothies for scholarship money, I was on the winning team for Quick! Help for meals System Cook book where we developed 54 new recipes for USC Annenberg School Communication and Journalism Division. The NIFA National Institute of food and agriculture was supported by a grant from The US Department of Agriculture. My four man crew created the dish that made the front cover of the cookbook. It was a simple chicken, rice and canned vegetable recipe anyone could make with items from a food pantry. I was also in a school competition for a multi million dollar contract with Beatrice Foods for Raw Vegan Recipes. I created Zucchini Pasta and 32 ingredient marinara. All raw. The winner was 18 years old with an eggs benedict raw vegan creation. My Internship to graduate was with The Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen for 90 days. We recipe tested, learned food photography, article writing, included some credited hand modeling for the Los Angeles Times Food Section. We met famous Chefs and Charles Phoenix for some whimsical food concoctions like a Pop Rock Cake and Cocktail Weiner tree.
I went on to work in Los Angeles, CA for Wolfgang Puck Catering, Universal Studios Production Chef Kitchen, Jimmy Kimmel Live Green Room with Camille's Kitchen, LA Food and Wine Festival, Guy Fieri Demo, Noche De Masters, Alex's Lemonade Annual Cancer Fundraiser.
Moving in 2015 to Las Vegas, Nevada was based on advice from our wealthy friends and angel investors who warned us of the California economy and made us realize we could host our radio station and studios anywhere in the world. This presented more culinary opportunities I have worked on many openings and continued to help failing restaurants.
Starting in 2016 I was hired on the spot and worked for Bobby Flay on the Las Vegas Strip. After 60 days I made quite an impression and was nominated as kitchen employee of the month. My award was a one week paid vacation. I had just started so I saved it until I needed the time off. I was on call MGM Grand Catering cook. I worked one event and decided the 24 hour on call for two years was a lot for my commute. I began looking for work in my area of West Summerlin. Doral Red Rock Academy Elementary School Personal Chef for The National School Lunch Program for a semester. The founder never paid anyone and absconded with 250K from the Charter Elementary and High Schools including: Doral Red Rock, Slam Academy, Coral , Pinecrest, Somerset, Odyssey in the area. We tried to keep it going for Doral yet they were hesitant to fund us after losing all that money to James Franklin Davis a fraudulent rep of the NSLP( National School Lunch Program) this was on the local news and was a scam this person perpetuated in Washington DC, Texas, Maryland, California and now Nevada. Public School 702 Gastropub Downtown Summerlin part of Beverly Hills Daily Grill this was their school themed gastropub (I was there TWICE as Lead Prep and running the restaurant with the kitchen manager several times due to management and Chef never coming in to work). They just closed down all restaurants in each state for 2025. Private events Caterer for guests and crew for Weed House 2017 in Las Vegas.
Opening season with The Las Vegas Aviators in 2018 as Team and Media Chef. Private Caterer for Indie100.com business meetings and events with a commute to Los Angeles for several at Sunset Gower Studios. Las Vegas lunch prep for business meetings in studio. The new concept from Sam Fox is called Flower Child Original Store Opener Crew Lead prep cook in Summerlin. Nice concept yet they would leave out the fact that everything was laced with salt, white sugar and canola oil despite the claims they were healthy and all natural. I left this place by circumstance as everyone was on illegal substances and I went to corporate without realizing they were on illegal substances too. They let me go December 2019 for being "Unhappy" this worked out to my full advantage with unemployment. Unemployment asked off the recording why I was let go since Flower Child was ignoring them. I said, "I was told I was unhappy". I also stated this was a fact I was unhappy around illicit drug use and Sam Fox Corporation along for the ride. That said I was granted full unemployment just as the lock down of 2020 happened. I worked again January 2021 as a personal chef after almost being off for a year. MeDiet Café Chef Consultant (I helped him find the right chef for his needs as I worked the position for a month) Weary of Restaurant concepts and a lot of Chef's in Vegas being simply uneducated in many areas compared to LA I decided to become a personal chef and a consultant as America's Kitchen Coach to teach restaurants how to treat and retain their employees as I had gained so much first hand experience on the matter and have a knack for cutting down the almighty ego which can get in the way of a successful culinary event.
Personal Chef to an Ayurvedic Cuisine Household with children where I processed mung beans to make homemade "Just egg" and various dishes. I had to leave this position due to a sudden death in the family in 2020. I was grateful because the children were highly dissatisfied with this cuisine. My biggest challenge to date was feeding their twelve year old boy. I also took on part time work to be around the pop up concepts and meal prep companies working out of VIDA Kitchens in North Las Vegas. I worked 702 Meal Prep every Sunday for two years 2022-2024 3am to 1pm with Chef Rob. I left this position because he was unkind when my brother suddenly passed in 2024 and I couldn't make it to work for him. I did meet Lil' Chef Jackie and many Chefs there. They were great, Chef Rob was demanding and good to you as long as your life didn't interfere with his prep. Understandable.
It worked out just fine as I was already working for another High End Client from 2020 to present with Gary Garver NBC News Affiliate including high end Bodybuilder friends meal prep for competitions. This client also had celebrity and business guests spending the nights at his penthouse for meetings and breakfast or lunch which I prepare. This included Passover and Hanukah Catering for several events since 2020.
I learned Kosher prep at 16 during my first job at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA. This rare knowledge has secured confidence within the Jewish Community as an outsider capable of executing kosher standards within food prep and deep discussions with Rabbi's who oversee this type of meal preparation. I am open to take on one more client. I hope this finds you in need. I am Deidre100 and I cook. Sometimes I do a radio show on
Indie100.com.
FUN FAMILY FACTS:
Mu Uncle and Cousins The Lepe Family own and operate the ever popular and famous Lucy's Mexican Restaurant Chain in El Paso, Texas. Home of the machaca plate.
My Dad's cousin Roberto Estrada was known in Las Cruces, New Mexico for the world famous red enchilada festival where he secured a spot in The Guinness Book of World Records for the largest red enchilada in history which was the main attraction at the Enchilada festival.
My Grandfather owned the Estrada Winery and Pecans in Mesilla, New Mexico. He was known for his generational wine making following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. I spent many happy times here learning to hunt and cook off the land. I feel it helped me become the Chef I am today as I began cooking at 6 years old with my grandparents on the ranch. I was also raised with the Biad family children who owned HATCH Chile in Hatch, New Mexico for decades. As a young child, I learned more than I cared to know about red and green Chile production and began helping the family plant, grow and process green and red Chile, grapes for wine, along with pecans from our orchard. During my childhood I was taught to make hand made Chile, tamales, gorditas, cookies, pastries and many other cultural southwest and Native American dishes from family recipes in the New Mexico and Texas region.