Food Network Chef To Appear At East Central College

East Central College will host award-winning chef, bestselling author and reality TV personality Jeff Henderson Thursday, February 18, at the campus in Union.

A former drug offender, Henderson used his love of cooking to turn his life around by working his way from incarceration to executive chef jobs at Cafe Bellagio and Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.  He will speak at 1 p.m. in ECC's John Edson Anglin Performing Arts Center.   Community members are invited to join ECC students for the 45 minute motivational talk.  There is no admission charge.  Financial support for Chef Henderson's visit is being provided by the East Central College Foundation and Student Government Association.

Henderson grew up on the tough streets of South Central L.A. and San Diego. At 19 he was running a $35,000-a-week cocaine operation. At 24, Jeff was arrested and sent to prison, where he spent the next 10 years. While incarcerated, Jeff discovered a passion for cooking and the drive to head in a more positive direction.  Upon his release from prison, Henderson transitioned back into an environment that was as intimidating and hostile as prison.  Having no formal education and a criminal background, he struggled for years in the hospitality industry.  His persistence and determination eventually led him to become a successful chef.

The former drug dealer's remarkable story of finding his passion for cooking while in prison and moving forward with his life was captured in his 2007 New York Times bestseller "Cooked."  His story is now being turned into a major motion picture by the team that made "The Pursuit of Happyness" with Will Smith.  He is also currently at work on a second cookbook.  Henderson lives in Las Vegas with his wife and three children.

Henderson has received widespread national attention on numerous TV and radio programs and in print publications, including "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Good Morning America," "The Montel Williams Show," CNBC, NPR's "All Things Considered," People and USA Today.

In his 2008 Food Network show, "The Chef Jeff Project," Henderson took six at-risk young adults and committed to turning their lives around by putting them to work in his catering company, Posh Urban Cuisine. He armed them with the knowledge, the skills and, ultimately, the opportunity for a new life with a culinary career.

Henderson's visit to ECC coincides with the Missouri ProStart Culinary Competition on campus February 18 and 19.  Approximately 100 high school students from across the state who have been a part of the ProStart culinary arts program throughout the school year will compete in this annual event. ProStart gives students the opportunity to learn about the art of cooking and managing restaurants by training with professional chefs and getting valuable classroom instruction.