Chef Biographies

Stephen Strickland
Executive Chef

As executive chef at La Quinta Resort & Club and PGA WEST,  Stephen Strickland oversees day-to-day operations at seven of the resort’s distinctive dining experiences. With more than 15 years of culinary experience, as well as an innate sense for the complexities of the contemporary palate.

Heading up a brigade and staff 80-strong, Strickland balances a variety of tastes and cooking styles, from the nouveau classics at the modern American bistro TWENTY6, to the authentic regional Mexican cuisine of Adobe Grill and casual gastropub fare at Ernie’s Bar & Grill. In addition, he also oversees spa and in-room dining and banquet operations for La Quinta’s event spaces.

A native of Pittsburgh, Strickland attended the renowned Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts and is a member of the American Culinary Federation and the Chaine des Rotisseurs USA. Prior to leading the LaQuinta team, he was executive chef for banquets at the Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, where he oversaw a pair of inaugural balls in honor of President Barak Obama. He also worked at different locations in the Ritz Carlton chain of hotels and resorts, including its flagship resort in Puerto Rico and five-star destination in Naples, Fla.

Jimmy Schmidt
Executive Chef, Morgan's in the desert

Celebrated chef, restaurateur, food scientist and innovator Jimmy Schmidt is now drawing inspiration from the bounty of the Coachella Valley and its environs to create the contemporary American cuisine at Morgan’s in the desert. Sourcing the best local products grown and raised responsibly, he focuses on traditional cooking methods – such as open grilling, slow roasting, braising, pickling and curing – to create deliciously simple, rustic and healthful dishes for Morgan’s.

A pioneer in America’s culinary movement towards sustainable cooking and farm-to-table dining, Schmidt founded Chefs Collaborative in 1991, the nation’s leading nonprofit chefs organization devoted to fostering a sustainable food system, and was one of the original board members of The James Beard Foundation.

Chef Schmidt garnered national acclaim when he opened Rattlesnake Club restaurants in Denver and in Detroit, which celebrates more than 20 years as an award-winning Midwest dining destination. He has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his successful 30-year career, including the prestigious James Beard Award for “Best Chef Midwest,” Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence,” and Gourmet Magazine’s “America’s Top Tables” and “America’s Best Restaurants.” In 2002, he opened another Rattlesnake at the Trump Spotlight 29 Casino in Palm Springs.

He was also a founding board member of Share Our Strength® in Denver, the national organization dedicated to making sure that no child in America grows up hungry, and still serves as an advisor.