Joey Santos: Partner, Executive Chef

Son to actor Joe Santos and grandson to internationally acclaimed and beloved Cuban singer Daniel Santos, as a teen and young adult Joey followed in his father's footsteps as an actor and studied under Director Milton Katselas at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. Eventually landing a recurring role on NYPD Blue as a uniformed cop named Officer Aiello. He also tried his hand at singing. He has performed in numerous venues in Hollywood, New York, Lake Tahoe, and South Beech. But, Joey had another passion that acting could not fulfill; that of cooking and entertaining friends. He was actually no stranger to this, as his mother Maria Santos was a great cook and hostess, having been known for throwing some of the best and most lavish parties in LA. So, in the early 90's Joey teamed up with his brother Perry and created a restaurant in Hollywood called El Mocambo, a throwback to the era of the nightclubs that their Grandmother Rose had created back in her hey day, and modeled it after pre Castro Havana...complete with Rumba shirt clad waiters, cigarette girls, exotic designer drinks, Cuban cigars and sumptuous Cuban Cuisine.

Having had a successful four year run, the two brothers decided to pursue other interests, Perry becoming a successful film-maker in Hollywood and Joey becoming a private chef and caterer to Hollywood's elite...having cooked for Norman Lear, Elizabeth Taylor, Warren Beatty and Annette Benning, Barbara Streisand, just to name a few. For the past 2 seasons he has been featured Oxygen Network's "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency" and is currently in development with Fremantle Media to star in his own Cooking and Lifestyle Show entitled "Cooking in Cali". Jo Jo's Americana marks Santo's first venture on America's Third Coast, and he has received a celebrities welcome.