Chefs for Kids Announces Two New Executive Board Members
Welcomes Chef Vic Vegas as President and Mark Sandoval as Vice President
Chefs for Kids is pleased to announce the appointment of two new executive board members. Vic Vegas will take the helm as President, and Mark Sandoval will serve as Vice President.
“Chefs for Kids’ Board of Directors is comprised of an amazing group of individuals dedicated to alleviating food insecurity through nutrition education and providing healthy food options to children in Southern Nevada,” said Heikili Apao, Chairman of Chefs for Kids. “Chefs Vic and Mark are outstanding leaders in our community and we are excited to utilize their talents and resources to further our mission.”
Vic Vegas is the Corporate Executive Chef at Nicholas and Company. He is a self-trained restaurant chef who worked his way up the culinary ladder from dishwasher to Corporate Executive Chef at several Las Vegas hotels and restaurants during a 20-year span. He specializes in high-volume banquets. Vic Vegas has also made several television appearances since 2008 where he won the gold medal on “Food Network’s Big Bash Catering Competition.” Since then he’s appeared on several shows including “The Next Food Network Star,” “Late Night Chef Fight,” “Chopped All Stars,” “Food Truck Face-Off,” “Reluctantly Healthy,” and “The Rachael Ray Show.” Most recently you can find Vic Vegas on the hit show “Bar Rescue,” with new episodes airing starting April 9 on Paramount+. In addition to supporting Chefs for Kids, Chef Vic Vegas also supports St. Jude’s Ranch for Children and Adam’s Place.
Mark Sandoval credits his father with getting him into cooking at an early age when he would help prepare the family meals. After studying at the California Culinary Academy, he earned his first restaurant position at Moose’s, a North Beach local hot spot. In 2006 Sandoval moved to Las Vegas to work for his idol Joel Robuchon on the opening team of The Mansion at MGM Grand. He has also served as Executive Chef of Wolfgang Puck at The Venetian and M Resrot’s Jayde Fuzion, Marinelli’s, and Anthony’s Gourmet Burgers & Brews. In 2012 he started teaching as an adjunct professor at University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ William F Harrah College of Hospitality. It was here he found his passion for teaching, and in 2016 he made the school his permanent home, now serving as Executive Chef. Mark Sandoval is also active in the ACF Chefs of Las Vegas and sits on the board of the Nevada Restaurant Association.
The current Chefs for Kids Board of Directors includes: Chairman, Heikili Apao, Ho’omau Consulting & Brokerage; President, Vic Vegas, Nicholas and Company; Vice-President, Mark Sandoval, William F. Harrah College of Hospitality at University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Treasurer Rich Cino, Retired Chef; Secretary, Lydia Brown, Rich’s; Lucio Arancibia, InFoodSys; Gary Gonzalez, Supreme Lobster and Seafood Company; Christopher Johns, South Point Hotel, Casino, & Spa; Mark LaVoie, Boyd Gaming; Darryn Law, Sysco; Michael Mall, Greenspun Media Group; David Orr, Critical Mass Health, LLC.; and Jamie Poltrock, South Point Hotel, Casino, & Spa.
For more information about Chefs for Kids please visit chefsforkids.org.
From Left: Mark Sandoval, Vic Vegas
Chefs for Kids
Founded in 1991, Chefs for Kids is a Las-Vegas bred nonprofit organization on a mission to alleviate malnutrition and hunger in children through education and awareness. It is the only Clark County School District sanctioned nutrition education program going directly into Title I schools in Southern Nevada. Each year the selected schools receive the nonprofit’s Healthy Eating Education Program focusing on three key initiatives:
- Nutrition Education: 40 minutes of in-class instruction per month delivered to third grade students by our partnered nutrition educators at the University of Nevada, Reno Extension. Lessons are called ‘Produce Pick of the Month.’
- Cookin’ Up Breakfast: Once per year, each school receives a free healthy breakfast for the entire student body and faculty, prepared and served by chefs from the community and our partners at ACF Chefs Las Vegas.
- Holiday Helpings:. Aims to alleviate hunger during holiday breaks with nutritious snacks. At the start of Thanksgiving, Winter, Spring and Summer breaks, students deemed high risk of not receiving enough food get a $50 grocery gift card, and a nutrition education packet.
The program aims to teach children about the benefits of healthy food choices and importance of physical activity. Learn more: https://chefsforkids.org/programs.