Chef Biography
Born and raised in the Deep South, Wendy Jordan grew up with a love of food and an endearing appreciation, thanks to her father, for backyard gardens and food preservation. These interests brought her to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), where she met her future husband and business partner, Michael.
Graduating in 1989, they traveled throughout Europe and upon returning to the United States, Wendy joined Susan Spicer, a James Beard award winning chef, at her New Orleans restaurant, Bayona. She additionally worked with John Neal, of Peristyle, becoming the sous chef and eventually head chef upon his untimely passing.
A move to Las Vegas prompted Wendy to start her own catering company, which was eventually merged into a new venture, Rosemary’s Restaurant. She and her husband Michael, opened their restaurant in 1999, and it was an instant success providing the local clientele with American food with a classic French influence.
Great Chefs taped her in January 2000 for their Great Chefs of America television series. The Jordans opened their second restaurant in 2002 in the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas. Over the years, multitudes of awards were collected; in 2007 they were voted “Restaurateurs of the Year” by the Nevada Restaurant Association. Food of Love, a cookbook the Jordans co-authored, documents their career and the food that locals so adored. Eventually Rosemary’s closed, after 12 years, when the Las Vegas economy could not support their talented efforts any further and they found employment in Seattle, Washington.
Wendy joined the faculty at Shorewood High School as the catering manager for the school’s Culinary Arts program. She continues to be a part of this and many more Culinary Arts teams bringing with her a wealth of experience. She has teaching experience from instructing at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts for 7 years and is currently an adjunct instructor at Bastyr University, Seattle Culinary Academy, and Seattle Public Schools Skills Center, as well as teaching food safety for the Washington Restaurant Association.
Recipes
Hugo’s Texas BBQ Shrimp with Maytag Bleu Cheese Slaw
Serving: 6 Print Hugo’s Texas BBQ Shrimp with Maytag Bleu Cheese Slaw By Great Chefs September 29, 2015 Plump shrimp are pan-fried and basted with tangy barbecue sauce. They are served with cabbage slaw dressed with bleu cheese mayonnaise. The only other things you’ll want are crusty bread and cold beer. Ingredients Hugo’s Texas BBQ […]