2010 Nazareth Home Gala Chefs

Ashley Archer

Restaurant: Ameristar East Chicago

About Ashley: Ashley Archer is the Executive Chef of Ameristar East Chicago Casino Hotel. He oversees all of the East Chicago dining options at the Ameristar East Chicago Casino Hotel. Archer brings bold new flavors, skills, and personality to the East Chicago dining options located within the property. In describing his love of cooking, Archer states: “I love seeing how food changes from place to place and how each region has its own core ingredients to work with. I like to bring those ingredients and pair them with my southern roots to create fun and exciting dishes.”

Archer has amassed an extensive culinary background. He was awarded the Mobil 4 Diamond Award at the Westin Salishan Dining Room at Gleneden Beach, Oregon, and has served as Executive Chef at the Westin Philadelphia, as well as the Executive Sous Chef at the Sheraton Overland Park, the Westin Salishan and the Sheraton Birmingham. We welcome Ashley back to the lineup of celebrity chefs featured at the Gala!

For more information, visit the Ameristar East Chicago Casino Hotel website.

Jim Latsoudis

Restaurant: The Jury Box/Atlas Catering

About Jim: Jim Latsoudis is a part-owner of Atlas Catering Services Company. In addition to providing fresh, artful selections for a wide range of venues, Atlas Catering also operates The Jury Box, the cafeteria inside the Hammond Federal Courthouse.

Jim has over 25 years of culinary experience and a Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Arts. With such an extensive and diverse resume, we are excited to see what new flavors Jim brings to the 2010 Nazareth Home Gala!

To learn more about the services Atlas Catering Services Company provides, click here.

Carl Lindskog

Restaurant: Amore

About Carl: Carl Lindskog began his culinary career at the age of fourteen while working in a family-owned drive-in restaurant. It began as a way to make spending money, but was unwittingly laying the foundation for a lifelong career.

Chef Carl graduated from the Johnson & Wales’ College of Culinary Arts and did his externship at Spago in Chicago. He then managed the operation of Puck’s, Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. In 2003, Chef Carl and his wife, Maria, opened Café 444 in the Miller section of Gary. He now can be found at Amorè a modern dining experience in downtown Crown Point.

To find out more about Amorè visit their website.

Jack Mix

Restaurant: Comfort's Catering

About Jack: Jack Mix is the owner of Comfort’s Catering & restaurant in St. John, and the exclusive caterer at The Cloister-in-the-Woods, in Munster. Comfort’s Catering specializes in off-premises catering, featuring comfort foods, gourmet and ethnic selections, in a wide variety of presentations.

Jack first learned the art of cooking in his mother’s kitchen. Even though he’s enjoyed cooking all his life, he never attended culinary school. It just comes naturally! Jack started cooking professionally when a friend called soon after college graduation and asked him if he wanted to come to work at Medina Temple in Chicago. Helping to prepare more than 800 meals/day gave him some fast lessons in food preparation.

Before starting Comfort’s Catering, he owned Hoosier Café in Schererville, and prior to that he was head chef at Villa De Bruno from 1982 until 1994. Chef Jack has been a member of the American Culinary Federation for over 20 years, as well as a member of the Chefs of Northwest Indiana for seven years. Jack is no stranger to the non-for-profit food tasting events, having previously participated in the Meals-on-Wheels and Hospice of the Calumet Area Chef tasting events. Click here for reviews and contact information for Comfort’s Catering.

Cheryl Molenda

Restaurant: The Inn at Aberdeen

About Cheryl: Dyer resident Chef Cheryl Molenda has an impressive résumé. She is a Certified Culinary Chef and the chapter president and board member of the Northwest Indiana Chapter of the American Culinary Federation. Chef Molenda is a High Honors graduate of the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago and holds certificates in the hospitality field. This past January she was also named ACF Chefs of NW Indiana Chef of the Year.

In addition to being a busy mother of three, Cheryl has donated her time to the Signature Chef Dinner for the March of Dimes for 3 years and Meals on Wheels’ Dine with the Chefs for 9 years, Hospice Care to Share, as well as NIAGS Culinary Showcase.

Her previous work experience is diverse and includes Christina’s Bakery in St. John, Drifters Restaurant in Portage and Village Bakery in Lansing, IL. For the past 9 years she has been a Sous Chef at the Inn at Aberdeen and has recently opened her own business Hot Mama Catering & Desserts!

As the 2003 Chocoholic Award winner, Chef Cheryl is the perfect chef to provide our desserts! We welcome her back to the Nazareth Home Gala and can’t wait to see what she cooks up this year!

Chef Cheryl will be representing The Inn at Aberdeen, to learn more visit, the Aberdeen website.

Terry Zych

Restaurant: Ivy Tech Community College Northwest Region

About Terry: Chef Terry began his professional culinary career in the mid 1980’s after graduating from IVY Tech College in the early days of their culinary arts program at what was then the Hammond, Indiana campus. Terry’s adventures in the industry have been very interesting and diverse. Heading up the kitchens in several popular area restaurants and casinos ranging from bar and grill to steak and seafood and fine dining, he has created many menus that carried a whimsical flair and artistic approach to food presentation.

As the Hospitality Administration / Culinary Arts program Chairman for IVY Tech Community College Northwest Region, Chef Terry has had the satisfaction of seeing recent graduates take on positions as executive chefs and sous chefs in new as well as established eateries in the area. Other grads from his program are now proud owner/operators of their own businesses. Chef Terry also works closely with Michiana Resources and offers 8 week basic cooking classes with their clients every semester.

Terry is has also completed a baccalaureate degree from Purdue University Calumet in their Hospitality and Tourism management program.

To discover the wide variety of classes Chef Terry chairs, visit IVY Tech’s website.

Gamba Ristorante

Restaurant: Gamba Ristorante

About Gamba: The former owners of the Venezia Bar & Grill and Café Venezia, Benito and Hilda Gamba, have combined their efforts into the Gamba Ristorante. Located in Merrillville, this restaurant is housed in an architectural masterpiece, which is hard to miss with its circular design and copper roof. Modeled after upscale restaurants in exotic European locations, the menu offers classic Italian cuisine.

For more information visit the Gamba Ristorante website.