[citation needed] At age 13, Santos's first job in the kitchen was washing pots at a small local restaurant in his hometown of Bristol, Rhode Island.

Upon graduation, Santos studied culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, initially planning on attending for only two years.

[4] After graduating from Johnson & Wales, Santos moved to New York City and in 1994, he was hired by the iconic Time Café, where he eventually would become executive chef at the age of 23, remaining until 1998.

[5][7] Wyanoka, a tiny "hidden gem" of a restaurant with just 27 seats, soon had a determined and loyal following and received glowing reviews from publications such as The New York Times, where he was favorably critiqued by current food critic Sam Sifton.

[10] The Stanton Social introduced the world to Santos' unique brand of experiential communal dining with its expansive menu of multi-cultural small plates.

The Lower East Side's historic M. Katz Furniture store was transformed into a dramatic bi-level restaurant and lounge with a two-story crystal chandelier and a twenty-foot skylight.

In addition, he is currently working on his first cookbook, and still hopes to launch a long-rumored line of tattoo-inspired chef apparel with celebrity Tattoo Artist Michelle Myles.