LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — This month’s Vegas Stronger Champion is part of the Chef Jeff Project, which helps at-risk young people learn culinary skills.
On a chilly morning at Lorenzi Park, just a couple miles west of downtown Las Vegas, a food truck hums with activity.
“Today, we are doing a prep,” Nkuna explained. “We’re prepping our potatoes, and we’re going to do guacamole as well.”
Formerly a student of the Chef Jeff Project, Anaya Nkuna now gives back to the community as the program’s lead student instructor.
Chef Jeff Henderson conceived of the project when incarcerated for ten years in the 1980s and ’90s. He learned to cook and bake in prison, and upon his release, he began his climb through the restaurant industry.
Henderson eventually became the first African-American executive chef on The Strip, helming the kitchen at Café Bellagio. He went on to write a best-selling book about his journey, Cooked, and later appeared on Oprah and The Food Network.
“My dream was to always open up a kitchen in the inner city to serve under-served youth and use food as a tool and alternative to crime and selling drugs and gang involvement,” Henderson told Channel 13.
Chef Jeff’s dream is working: his three food truck culinary schools have taught nearly 2,000 at-risk teens and young adults in Las Vegas since 2020.
“The ones who do make it through [the program] land culinary jobs. We have folks, young people, that work on the Las Vegas Strip,” Henderson said.
Nkuna was referred to the Chef Jeff Project by an EmployNV career coach through her alternative high school. At first, she was resistant to the program because she wanted to study nursing.
“As I kept going and kept going, I kept getting better at what I was doing, and I actually enjoyed the cooking,” Nkuna says.
She was eventually hired to be the lead youth trainer for the Chef Jeff Project.
“I’ve been in their situation before. We help out a lot at Peterson [Academic Center], the alternative school, so I’ve been in their position before, so I feel like I can easily mentor them, and help them out,” Nkuna told Channel 13.
“We love the idea of peer-to-peer, students training students,” Henderson said.
Recently, Jeff Giles of Findlay Automotive Group recognized Anaya Nkuna as February’s Vegas Stronger Champion.
“You went through this program and now you’re an instructor. And you’re giving back what you received, and we just think that’s amazing. We have a little token of our appreciation for what you’re doing,” Giles said as he presented Anaya with a check for $599.
Nkuna says she was surprised at the recognition and will use the money to help purchase a car.
“Thank you! I didn’t know that any of this was happening today, so this is a big surprise to me. I do thank all of you, this is very generous. I appreciate it all,” she told Giles and Chef Jeff.
Chef Jeff has another dream on deck: Cafe Inspire, a brick-and-mortar training restaurant for his students is expected to open in the Historic Westside School sometime next year through a partnership with the City of Las Vegas and Clark County.
