Chef Ellie Parker, Executive Chef at Main St. Provisions, was born in Racine, Wisconsin, and moved to Las Vegas at the age of seven. Her love for cooking began early, sparked by countless hours watching the Food Network. It wasn’t long before she realized she had a deep passion for the culinary arts.
At just 12 years old, Chef Parker applied to the culinary program at Northwest Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas. She was accepted and began her formal culinary journey at 13. By the time she graduated in 2017, she had earned three degrees—Culinary Arts, Baking, and Pastry—and ranked at the top of her class. She then attended UNLV, majoring in Restaurant and Hospitality Management, while continuing to work in kitchens and gain real-world experience. At 17, she landed her first hot line position at The Venetian.
Chef Parker honed her skills with line cook roles at Culinary Dropout, MB Steak, La Cave, and the rebranded ONE Steakhouse, before stepping into her first Sous Chef role at Brera Osteria. She later joined The Bedford by Martha Stewart at Paris Las Vegas as an opening Sous Chef, contributing to menu development and team training.
In September 2022, Chef Parker joined Main St. Provisions as a line cook, working under the mentorship of Patrick Munster, a long-time influence in her career. Just one year later, she was promoted to Executive Sous Chef. Her rapid rise continued, and in January 2025, she was named Executive Chef. Throughout her time at MSP, Chef Parker has played a key role in both menu innovation and team development.
Her culinary passion lies in steakhouse and New American cuisine, blending creativity with a relentless focus on detail and consistency. Her goal is simple yet powerful: to create core memories through food and flavor. And she does just that—every day, with her team, at Main St. Provisions.
Chef Parker once set a goal to become an Executive Chef by the age of 26. She beat that timeline by a full year. Her journey is a testament to what hard work, dedication, and true talent can accomplish in the world of food and beverage.
Learn more about Chef Ellie Parker.
1. When did you realize you wanted to become a chef? Please share any early childhood memories you might have of fishing, digging clams, or cooking seafood.
I realized I wanted to become a chef around the age of 10. I started watching the Food Network after school and quickly developed a strong appreciation for the craft. I began asking my parents to let me help with dinner and to buy ingredients I could experiment with.
Some of my earliest memories include watching my Nonna cook in the kitchen and visiting my Grandpa John, who made his famous beer-battered halibut nuggets—something I still crave to this day.
My dream of becoming a chef was truly solidified at age 15 while in culinary school. I remember serving my first curated dish to my chef. The smile on his face and the praise he gave me gave me butterflies—and I still get that same feeling every time I serve a dish and see happy, smiling faces in the dining room.
2. What is your culinary education background and experience?
At age 13, I applied to Northwest Career and Technical Academy (NWCTA) in Las Vegas. It’s a public high school, but unique because it has a 6,000 sq. ft. commercial kitchen where we were trained in culinary arts. For four years, I took regular high school classes along with three hours of culinary education daily. This included everything from basic knife skills and mother sauces to baking and pastry.
By the end of high school, I earned associate degrees in Culinary Arts, Baking, and Pastry. I then attended UNLV from 2017 to 2019 for a degree in Hospitality Management, supported by the Millennium Scholarship.
3. How do you describe your overall cooking philosophy (seafood related)?
My philosophy is to create dishes with familiar ingredients prepared using techniques and flavors that aren’t usually accessible to most people. I aim to build unforgettable memories through food—like taking a plain fish such as grouper and elevating it with orange-zested fregola pasta and a Peruvian pepper beurre blanc.
I never try to be flashy. I just want people to feel like they’re at their mom’s house for Sunday dinner… if she had taken a few cooking classes, haha.
4. What is the most important thing you look for when purchasing seafood? (e.g., consistency, quality, local sourcing) Why?
For me, the top priority is sourcing and quality. I care deeply about how seafood is caught, handled, and killed. Humanely and responsibly sourced products are a passion of mine—and I genuinely believe it affects the flavor of the final dish.
Quality and sourcing go hand-in-hand. My goal is to serve the freshest, most delicious dish possible, and I know I can count on Santa Monica Seafood to help me achieve that every time.
5. What are some of your favorite seafood items on your current menu? Why?
Two of my favorites on our spring menu are the gorgeous Hokkaido sea scallops and Alaskan halibut. Both deliver incredible flavor, natural sweetness, and a tender texture. I’m always excited to receive and work with these products.
6. We’d love to know more about your favorite seafood. What do you enjoy cooking at home and professionally?
My all-time favorite is white fish—halibut, bass, grouper, snapper, monkfish—you name it. I love cooking it both at home and at the restaurant. It’s what I grew up eating with my mom since the rest of the family didn’t like seafood, so we got to enjoy it ourselves. White fish is so versatile; you can create nearly anything with a good piece of it.
7. What do you like about Santa Monica Seafood’s products and service?
First and foremost, the quality. I’ve never been disappointed in anything I’ve received. The variety allows me to explore new ideas for my menu and introduce guests to products they might not have tried before.
A big shout-out to my amazing rep, Todd White. He’s truly the best when it comes to customer service and seafood knowledge. I know I can always count on him—whether I’m changing up the menu or just looking for the freshest fish in stock.
Main St. Provisions
1214 S. Main St.
Las Vegas, NV 89104
www.mainstprovisions.com