Sous Chef Marquita Ward

Do you know what a Sous Chef does? While many know that it’s a restaurant or commercial kitchen position, few actually know about the many responsibilities that the Sous Chef performs.

In essence, the Sous Chef is the second in command to the head Chef. The head Chef is responsible for overseeing the kitchen in a “big picture” way, and depends on the sous chef to help execute much of the action in the kitchen and keep things in working order. Both of them work closely together to create harmony in the kitchen and amazing cuisine for the restaurant’s customers.

At The Still, we truly have an incredible Sous Chef in Marquita Ward. Here, you can gain some insight as to who she is and what motivates her to create the delicious cuisine at The Still!

Can you describe your journey to becoming a sous chef? I’m from Inglewood, California; born and raised. I attended Culinary school at LA Trade Tech. While in school, I worked at the Walt Disney Concert Hall for the catering department working major events such as The Grammys, Oscars, and numerous Vanity Fair parties. After school I moved to Las Vegas to pursue a position in the Culinary Industry. I landed a job opening Hooters restaurant, Hotel and Casino. From there I started working at Light Group, opening Diablos Cantina. During my 8 years as a line cook I met Chef Jamie Russell. After Diablos Cantina, I opened The Still at the Mirage Hotel and Casino. Under the direction of Chef Jamie, I started as a line cook and worked my way up to Sous Chef.

What made you want to become a chef? I became a chef because of my grandfather. I was always in the kitchen cooking with him, being his assistant and once I got older my passion grew stronger.

What is your favorite thing to do as a Sous Chef? My favorite thing is to create new dishes. I have a creative mind so I love to experiment in the kitchen. I love creating new and fresh ideas or putting the “Quita Spin” on an old recipe or making simple recipe pop by bringing out flavors you never thought were there.

What is your favorite food holiday, and why? My favorite holiday to cook on is Thanksgiving, the reason being that I can create a brand new menu and really challenge myself especially for a large crowd (my family). Also I just really enjoy the feeling I get when my family is pleased and continue to have my menu as the talk of the town throughout the year.

Who is your favorite person to cook for? My favorite person to cook for is my wife. She is my taste tester and sometimes my assistant in the kitchen. We have great kitchen chemistry. I bounce ideas off of her and she provides informative feedback also I have opened her eyes to a whole new world of food that she never experienced before. Now she’s making smarter choices when it comes to what she puts on her plate.

What is your favorite restaurant for dining out? My favorite restaurant to go to is Eat in downtown Las Vegas owned by Chef Natalie. The service is great, the food is always hot and fresh, it’s a cozy and comfortable place to go and enjoy your food, they never get my order wrong, and last but not least the story behind it and how it came about is very inspirational.

What do you like to do when you have time off? I just simply sit around and come up with new ideas and more recipes for my up and coming food page and a possible cookbook.

Want to sample Marquita’s work? Come to The Still to enjoy freshly prepared American classic cuisine with a deliciously upscale and creative edge which is served out of an Airstream Trailer kitchen!

Do you know what a Sous Chef does?