You’ve been cooking at Restaurant Guy Savoy for four years and recently grabbed the executive chef spot. Congrats! It’s very exciting, and a lot of hard work and dedication that’s paying off. I started here as a sous chef and worked all the stations of the restaurant, and finally became chef de cuisine a little over a year ago. It’s been a really good ride so far.

It’s one of the top restaurants in the country. Of course you worked for this, but does it seem unreal? It does, a little. It happened very fast, too. But everybody has been very supportive, and I’ve been getting some good feedback, especially from our guests, which at the end of the day is what you do this for. I’m just excited to have Guy Savoy come in April, the man himself, to let me know if I’m doing the job up to his standard and living up to the name. It’s definitely like a dream.

What is your approach to taking control and incorporating your style while staying true to Guy Savoy? I’m not trying to reinvent the cuisine, of course. That’s the last thing I want to do. My goal is to keep the name, the spirit, the flavor of Guy Savoy, while adapting it to the [demands] of Las Vegas and also getting a little of my style in there. I’m not trying to be a superhero and change a recipe that’s been working for more than 30 years, but in the next few months there will be some new dishes.

You’re one of the very rare chefs who has worked for both Guy Savoy and Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas. I was there for two years, and yes, there’s not a lot. When I was there I was working with some great chefs who are now holding high positions at the best restaurants in the city, so it’s nice to see that evolution, that we’re doing the work we love at the highest level possible. I’ve found myself in a place where I love working and I love the philosophy here and the vision. If you want to grow, you have to find a place where you feel at home.