Erick Simmons was born in 1979 in Long Beach, California. His training began at home in the kitchen of his pastry chef mother who instilled in him a love and understanding of good food.

From the age of sixteen through his early twenties, Erick worked casually as a line cook in restaurant kitchens with specific proximity to the surfing and snowboarding culture he knew and loved. At twenty-three, with very ambitious goals to take his career to the next level, he enrolled in the California School of Culinary Arts. While attending school he landed a job at the Water Grill in Los Angeles working under chef David LeFevre. Erick was inspired by the focus, discipline and creativity of the kitchen and it solidified his desire to continue challenging himself. In 2004, he moved to Las Vegas after landing a job at Bradley Ogden at Caesar’s Palace. He worked his way to sous chef after three intense months. Working under chef de cuisines Brian Ogden and David Varley, he was given increased responsibilities, which put him in touch with all aspects of the kitchen as well as the freedom to develop his own style.

Erick’s laid-back California approach to life also speaks to his cooking philosophies. His cuisine is contemporary using small American farms, domestic ingredients and classic flavor combinations. This similarity in styles, in addition to his passionate, focused work ethic is why Erick was handpicked by chef Michael Kornick to continue the mk vision.