Back on Track Ministries Inc. announced this week the upcoming visit of celebrity Chef Jeff and Carlyle Holder.
The renowned criminal justice expert will be in Saint Lucia from October 15 to 21 as part of Back on Track’s CPR for Saint Lucia (Crime Prevention and Reduction) initiative.
Jeff Henderson more popularly known as Chef Jeff is an American chef, bestselling author and popular public speaker.
He does not shy away from the fact that he is also a former felon, having served nearly a decade in prison for cocaine. In fact, his past adversity and current platform as a celebrity chef, serve as his testimony to steer young people away from a life of crime.
In 1988, he was arrested by the San Diego Drug Task Force and charged with intent to distribute illegal narcotics and was later sentenced to ten years in prison.
Through Carlisle Holder, Back on Track Inc., was able to arrange for Chef Jeff to visit Saint Lucia next week to share his story and assist in efforts of crime prevention.
According to Kendell John who is the communication consultant for Back on Track Inc., the aim is to assist the forty-year old organisation’s efforts at helping ex-offenders reintegrate into society and help at risk youth get back on track.
“And so Carlisle Holder and Keith Smith of Back on Track Ministries started discussing how they could address the crime situation in Saint Lucia in a meaningful way and that’s where the idea came about to get in touch with Chef Jeff,” John told St. Lucia Times.
“Chef Jeff has a personal story of redemption where he was a millionaire by the age of nineteen, through dealing in illegal drugs and while later serving time in prison he found his true calling, he learnt to cook. So after serving his time, he turned his life around and besides becoming a top chef decided to assist at risk youth and ex-offenders using his cooking platforms,” John explained.
During his seven-day visit to Saint Lucia, Back on Track Ministries has arranged a number of engagements with Chef Jeff and Carlisle Holder.
These include meeting with at risk youth in the south and north of the island and delivering motivational speeches to inmates of the Bordelais Correctional Facility as well as wards of the Boys Training Center.
“Jeff will also conduct a hands-on cooking activity with at least ten inmates of BCF who are presently involved in cooking at the facility. The session is intended to provide a platform for skill building and personal empowerment with the aim of encouraging positive change,” John says.
Chef Jeff and Holder are also expected to meet with key stakeholders including the police commissioner, the director of BCF, judges and the Minister with responsibility for crime prevention, to discuss a holistic approach to crime prevention in the country.
Chef Jeff, who currently lives in Las Vegas with his wife Stacy and five children, became the first African-American Chef de Cuisine at Caesars Palace in 2001. He eventually became an executive chef at several top restaurants including Café Bellagio.
He uses his platform, the Chef Jeff Project to assist disenfranchised youth, formerly incarcerated individuals, and those seeking a fair chance.
The programme focuses on helping individuals overcome barriers to employment through cognitive thinking transformation, soft-skills development, professional communication, conflict resolution, and time management to not only prepare them for the workforce but to lead a more productive life.
