About Sedona Chef, Jeff Smedstad
Chef Jeff Smedstad of Elote Cafe in Sedona Arizona started his cooking career on a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean cooking 3 squares for 30 men while in the Coast Guard. In 1990 he attended and graduated from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute and began cooking for Hilton hotels, after working his way from line cook to Sous chef he realized his dream of opening his own restaurant and started Los Sombreros Mexican restaurant in Scottsdale Arizona in 1994.
While at Los Sombreros he went to study under Susana Trilling in Oaxaca Mexico futher deepening and refining his style and commitment to Mexican Cuisine. In addition to these studies he spent over 12 years researching the food of Mexico by traveling the countryside, visiting markets restaurants and homes to learn more about the cuisine and develop his own style of cooking.
In 2006 he sold his interest in Los Sombreros and moved to Atlanta Georgia for a brief stint as chef of Sala Mexican Restaurant. When an opportunity came up to buy a restaurant in Sedona Jeff knew it was time to come home to Arizona and Elote Cafe was born.
His style now not only focuses on the cuisine of Mexico but also incorporating sustainable, local, healthy, organic and GMO free products into his restaurant to showcase his passion for food as well as responsible cooking. The cuisine of both Los Sombreros and Elote Cafe have been featured in the New York Times, Sunset Magazine, Arizona Highways, Food and Wine Magazine, the Arizona Republic, and the Toronto Star as well as numerous television spots on CBS, ABC, NBC, KTVK and AZtv. Jeff is also the author of the upcoming Elote Cafe cookbook to be released in September 2009.
Testimonials
Hello!
About a week ago we were there and are very happy we selected
your restaurant as our one night out. It was fabulous! We had
the chicken enchiladas and my fiance had carnitas. For our appetizer
we had your tamales. OMG!
The best night out we've had in ages! So glad we discovered
your restaurant! We will be back!
Thank you so much!
J.A.
I recently stayed at the Kings Ransom and ate at the Cafe Elote
next door. It was some of the best food I have ever had.... I'd love to come back and
eat there again however it will be a while as you guys are 1400
miles from me.
D.S
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