Jeff Henderson

Friday, October 17

10:15 a.m.

Diversity & Leadership from the Hood:  The Untapped Workforce

Jeff Henderson is an award-winning chef, New York Times bestselling author and powerful speaker. In 2001, Henderson made history when he became the first African-American Chef de Cuisine at Caesars Palace. “Chef Jeff” has served as Executive Chef at several top restaurants, such as Café Bellagio at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and has become one of the most influential chefs in the country.

Henderson’s remarkable story of redemption and finding his hidden passion for cooking while incarcerated was chronicled in his bestselling memoir COOKED (published by William Morrow, February 2007). His life story is now being turned into a major motion picture by Columbia Pictures, Overbrook Entertainment and Escape Artist, the team that made “The Pursuit of Happyness.              

As an incredibly inspiring personality, Chef Jeff has received widespread national attention on countless TV and radio programs and print publications, including “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “Good Morning America,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “CNBC The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch,” NPR’s “All Things Considered,” “The Gayle King Show,” People and USA Today.                

Next up for Chef Jeff is his own reality show on The Food Network, which premiers on October 12th. He is also releasing his first cookbook Chef Jeff Cooks “In the Kitchen with America’s Inspirational New Culinary Star” (published by Scribner/Simon and Schuster) this fall.  

Jeff Henderson lives in Las Vegas with his wife and three children.

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