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Shermond Esteen Jr.
Shermond Esteen Jr.
00:57

Shermond Esteen Jr.

Nonno’s Cajun Cuisine and Pastries

New Orleans, LA USA

"You can either get bitter or better."

Career Roadmap

Shermond's work combines: Food, Entrepreneurship, and Accomplishing Goals

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Day In The Life

Chef

I own a restaurant and cook all of the main entrees.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • Associate's Degree

    General Studies

  • Associate's Degree

    Paralegal Studies

Life & Career Milestones

I've taken a lot of twists and turns

  • 1.

    My mother, who owned a catering business, taught me how to cook when I was a kid.

  • 2.

    I was sentenced to 33 years in prison for possession of marijuana in 1999.

  • 3.

    While incarcerated, I learned how to bake and became good enough at it that I started running the kitchen and teaching others how to cook and bake.

  • 4.

    I always had a vision of opening my own restaurant when I got out of prison.

  • 5.

    I was released from prison in 2019 after serving 20 years of my 33-year sentence.

  • 6.

    After being released, I took one day off and then got to work on my business, starting by cooking out of my mother and father’s home.

  • 7.

    My cooking became more popular and I began looking for a building to open up a restaurant in order to comply with food and health codes.

  • 8.

    In June of 2020, I opened Nonno’s Cajun Cuisine & Pastries, where I cook all of the main entrees and teach the dishes to those working under me.

Defining Moments

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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  • I spent 20 years in prison after being arrested for possession of marijuana. Instead of getting bitter, I used my time in prison to better myself, learn how to bake, and work towards my goal of opening a restaurant.