Growing up in a family surrounded by cooking and homemade meals from scratch, Chef Norman was instilled with the knowledge of adding patience and love into every pinch and every dash of ingredient added to his recipes. Beginning with a taste of culinary duties as a Marine,
then finding his calling within a series of experiences in Las Vegas, Chef Norman perseveres by offering safe dining experiences to those with life threatening food allergies. He has become regarded as the top professional in his industry.
His skill set includes allergen awareness training and advocacy. Chef Norman is known as the go-to chef with many national food allergy resource organizations. Chef Norman’s passion for food safety and sanitation can be seen as his current position as Assistant Executive Chef and Food Safety Manager for the South Point Hotel & Casino and as a former culinary arts instructor at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Las Vegas. Both roles allow Chef Norman to be responsible for training and educating students and culinary professionals in one of the most important facets of the foodservice industry.
Beginning in 1988, Chef Norman worked his way up the culinary ladder at Las Vegas properties which include Bally’s, The Mirage, Treasure Island, Paris Hotel, Suncoast and most recently South Point Hotel Casino and Spa. In 2000, Chef Norman extended his knowledge further while continuing to help others around him by becoming a Nevada Restaurant Association (NRA) Certified Food Safety Trainer and Subject Matter Expert. Because this program reflects the latest FDA Model Food Code and is strongly recommended for managers and front line employees, Chef Keith increased his food safety training course that is favored by federal, state and local jurisdictions.
With the need to exceed his education and status above what is generally recommended, Chef Norman achieved a multitude of culinary certifications all within the same year. In 2005, Chef Norman became certified as a Professional Food Manager, a Certified HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) Manager and an NEHA (National Environmental Health Association) Certified Food Trainer. In addition, to present the opportunity to discuss and address food safety concerns on a global platform, Chef Norman also became a member of the International Food Information Council. This was followed with an added support opportunity as a member of the Alliance of Black Culinarians which allows Chef Norman to support and mentor black culinarians. Shortly after in 2007, Chef Norman added his certifications to include registered OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) Trainer and a Master Certified Food and Beverage Executive. Wanting to use his awareness for a larger purpose, he became a member of the Nevada Food Safety Task Force in 2008. This allows Chef Norman to address food safety concerns locally in Nevada as well as work through plans on how to address them. Seeing the need to branch out with those who have a complete approach to helping others, Chef Norman added yet a further membership to the Nevada Environmental Health Association in 2010. With this partnership, Chef Norman has the opportunity to address food safety issues with the Southern Nevada Health District giving him the edge of loving his profession, caring about those who he interacts with and the ability to ensure their best interest at heart.
2013 began with Chef Norman receiving the Outstanding Nevada Environmental Health Professional of the Year Award from the Nevada Environmental Health Association Executive Council. Following this in August, Chef Norman appeared on KTNV The Morning Blend explaining the importance of food allergy awareness, explaining his allergen free cutlery kits and advocating for several food allergy organizations.September 2013, he was featured back to back in two publications; Eater Las Vegas shared his favorite areas to dine and Arizona Gaming Guide’s article showcased Chef Norman’s food allergy awareness skills. Just a few short months later, Chef Norman appeared on Vegas Inc. describing the business of food allergy patrons and how he keeps his staff updated with his allergen program.
In 2014, he was recognized in October by MediaPlanet as one of the leaders and advocates for Allergy and Asthma alongside such great names as Steve Carrell, American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (ACAAI) and more.
In 2016, Chef Norman saw the importance of gaining a greater understanding of allergic diseases. In the quest to do so, he became a certified Master Allergen Awareness Trainer which aides in translating allergic knowledge and mechanisms into everyday practice. Chef Norman continues to utilize this certification for his dining guests as well as his additional membership with the American Culinary Federation that he received in 2017. This membership offers Chef Norman another area in which he can educate and network with other Chefs and Hospitality Professionals in hopes of extending food allergy awareness beyond previous levels.
2018 began yet another milestone for Chef Norman with the announcement of his very own book
“Allergen Awareness A Chef’s Perspective”. Fox 5 shared his announcement not once but twice in the same day- first to also share food allergy importance and then to discuss allergy free meals. He also had the extreme honor of being a state winner for the 2018 Restaurant Neighbor Award from ChooseRestaurant.org. Chef Norman jumped into the holidays with an article in the LA Times sharing the importance of food safety while feeding your patrons well. His holiday cheer was also welcomed with his Incident Free Thanksgiving tips on a segment of Fox 5. December marked a double highlight for Chef Norman. His food allergy knowledge was highlighted in The Las Vegas Food and Beverage Professional explaining how important food allergy awareness is for dining establishments. Also shared was an article introducing his book and life skills in Sensi Magazine.
In addition to his impressive certifications, Chef Norman is also a current Board Member for Stop Foodborne Illness, the Casino Management Association, National Restaurant Association, FAACT (Food Allergy Anaphylaxis Connection Team) and is the primary consulting Chef for the Food Allergy Bloggers Conference (FABLOGCON LLC). He was also the first to appear in the Inspired Dining Series for the Epicurian Charity Foundation. Chef Norman plans on continuing to share his food allergy education, awareness and advocacy and is always seeking new opportunities to broaden a safe dining experience for patrons and food establishments alike.