About the Chef

Soma Executive Chef James Kelly has been refining his culinary and hospitality skills for nearly 20 years. He has trained and worked side by side with some of the most innovative chefs in the industry from the beach towns of the North East to Southern coast of California. In November 2004 Jim opened Restaurante Soma at Milarepa Hotel. As chef-owner, James took the opportunity to put those years of experience to good use. His years spent traveling, surfing, and cooking throughout Mexico and Central America were clearly evident on the restaurant’s daily-changing menu. The delicate balance of lightness, freshness, flavor and texture that distinguished his food remained heavily influenced by his passion for Asian cuisine. Soma continually exceeded the expectations of Milarepa's. guests and critics alike during it's four years of operation earning him a great reputation and opening doors to exciting new opportunities.

By the spring of 2008, Chef James had catered many successful events and had also begun dabbling in the personal chef business for some of his restaurant clients. Immediately he came to realize how much he enjoyed the intimacy of catering to small groups and interacting directly with his clients. Being a personal chef suddenly allowed him the freedom to take his creativity to next level while focusing directly on his client's specific needs and desires. The result was a pleasantly overwhelming demand for his services. As a consequence James decided to close the restaurant so as to focus his energy on Soma personal chef/catering services and further menu development. He is currently pairing his food obsession with his passion for a perfect dining experience as a service to you.