October 3rd, 2008 About the Chef

Soma executive chef James C. Kelly has been working in restaurants for the better part of the past twenty years. He has not only cooked professionally and worked with some of the best chefs in the industry, but has also gained valuable experience in nearly every aspect the restaurant industry.

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The grand opening of Soma restaurant in November of 04’ gave Jim the opportunity to finally put all of those years of experience to good use. Located in the stylish Milarepa Hotel, Soma was a pure expression of Jim’s obsession of gastronomy. His years spent traveling throughout Mexico and Central America were heavily apparent on Soma’s daily-changing menu, however, the delicate balance of lightness, flavor and texture that separated his cuisine from the competition remained heavily influenced by Jim’s passion for Asian cuisine. Soma continually exceeded the expectations of Milarepa’s guests and critics alike during it’s 4 years of operation, earning Jim a great reputation and opening doors to exciting new opportunities.

In the spring of 08’ Jim decided to close the restaurant. “I had already been doing personal cheffing and special events on the side, and I came to realized how much I enjoyed the intimacy of catering to small groups and the interacting directly with the client”. Being a personal chef allowed him the freedom to take his creativity to next level by focusing on the clients specific needs and desires, and then putting together a customized menu with what was available fresh.