Meet The Chefs
Executive Chef – Orlando Pascua
Hailing from Hawaii, Chef Orlando Pascua was born and raised on the island of Lana’i. Growing up, he found himself surrounded by a culture where homesteading was a way of life. Living off the land and sea, he spent his early years enjoying table fare that was wildly exotic and unusual for most. When he moved to the island of Maui, he found his culinary passion working for Chef Roy Yamaguchi at “Roy’s” Hawaiian Fusion, where he learned how to capture that piece of his culture and share it with the world. The next step of his journey would bring him from the Pacific Ocean to what Hawaiians fondly refer to as the “9th Island”. Since moving to Las Vegas, Orlando has diversly expanded his culinary knowledge. As a Chef de Partie at the Wynn Las Vegas, he dabbled in a variety of ethnic styles before working his way up to the Executive Sous Chef position at Eataly in the Park MGM. Here, he was inspired by Italian culture and cuisine to focus his passion. His latest endeavor at Lexie’s Bistro embodies the culmination of his knowledge in the “New American” style menu featuring elements of his cultural heritage and culinary education.
Executive Sous Chef – Santos Lopez
Chef Santos Lopez was born in Oaxaca, Mexico and his family relocated to Santa Monica, California shortly after. At the age of 15, Santos got his first job at the Michelin-starred Santa Monica restaurant Melisse. His work ethic caught the eye of the head chef and was promoted to prep cook after a few months. As he continued to show promise and potential, he quickly moved up to sauté cook. This experience working with Michelin caliber chefs inspired Santos to pursue his own career as a chef. In 2014, Santos moved to Las Vegas to expand his culinary horizons. He worked his way through a few local restaurants, picking up knowledge and skills before joining Eataly Las Vegas as a Sous Chef. After a few years, Santos helped open The Bedford by Martha Stewart as the Executive Sous Chef. Here, he gained valuable knowledge in building menus and creating unique dining experiences that have been paramount to the identity of Lexie’s Bistro.
