ANTHONY MICHAEL JEFFERSON (“AJ”)

Anthony was born in Harrisburg, PA., and raised in Hermosa Beach, Southern California where his love of all things aquatic blossomed. Born to a family of accomplished dreamers, AJ dreamt of surfing professionally and competed on a high level. The Pacific Ocean taught him many lessons, patience, respect, and humility. It’s also where his passion for culinary arts began. His parents divorced in his formative years causing him to choose which parent to live with. He chose the Pacific Ocean and his father over Hollywood and his mother.

The 80’s graduation, education from traveling, gainful employment domestic-abroad, and lessons hard learned. From February of 1992 on Anthony Michael Jefferson spent 23 years behind the walls of the California Department of Corrections. In mid-December of 2014, the Governor of CA., approved the recommendation by the Board of Prison Hearing on Mr. Jefferson’s Parole. On March,15,2015, at 11:30 AM he walked through the doors of Soledad state prison. The first song he listened to was from his hero, Robert Nesta Marley, “Redemption Songs.” His first request, “could we please stop in Santa Barbara, and check out the waves at Rincon?”

A week later he enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu, 18 months passed by, graduation with honors, his growth came from chefs to celebrity chefs who poured into his dedication, and passion to grow. Therapy came from theater, never being exposed through the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (CDCR). The theater workers project was his first introduction to the healing process. He produced the title of the project from his poem. “Further Shores”. He then portrayed Ray DuVaul in the legislative regionally touring play, “The Box”. Written by Shara Shourd. Performances in various Marin Shakespeare’s, Returned Citizens Theater Troup, and as a fellow with the Formerly Incarcerated people performance project (FIPP), AJ penned “The Bumpy Road Less Traveled”. He has performed the piece at the Santa Monica Binge Fringe Festival, UC Santa Cruz Institute of Arts, SF Marsh Berkeley, Tell It On Tuesday, Marin Juvenile Hall, and the Marin Shakespeare Theater.