Chef Alex is a Michigan native who moved to Chicago to attend Kendall College Culinary School. Since graduating, he has spent years working in Italian and French kitchens around the city, as well as working as a private chef.
Recent Posts
Celery Root Risotto: Creating Depth of Flavor
Last month, I wrote about my love for homemade Parmesan stock. While it is absolutely the “secret weapon for soup season” as I claimed, I want to demonstrate a different use for the stock which is ...
Soup season is in full swing, and in my and many other chef’s opinions, what makes a great soup is a great stock. While homemade chicken, vegetable, and beef stock are great, I want to introduce you ...
I recently visited my hometown in Michigan as I often do, and on my way back I was passing through New Buffalo and passed a sign labeled Farmette. This immediately caught my interest as it just ...
Prior to working as an instructor at The Chopping Block, I worked as a private chef for about a year and a half. I have fond memories of this part of my career, and I often get a lot of questions of ...
Once upon a time in my cooking career, I worked at a seafood restaurant that featured an oyster bar, and it was one of my favorite experiences in my career. That job made me fall in love with all of ...
Making stuffed pastas can seem like a very daunting task for home cooks, but can be a great and impressive thing to show off to your family and friends. I want to take the fear of making these pastas ...
You already know I love carbon steel pans. Now I want to showcase a technique that illustrates just why I enjoy cooking with carbon steel so much: cold-start crispy skin fish.
If you have ever taken our Knife Skills class, then you have a little bit of knowledge about the difference between carbon steel and stainless steel knives. If you haven't taken our Knife Skills ...
Being from Southwest Michigan, I have seen it change quite a bit in my lifetime. It has always been a very popular vacation destination, especially for families. With its beautiful beaches, fruit ...
Picture this: you’re the chef of a restaurant where you have a steamed mussels dish on the menu. You got your shipment of mussels on Friday, and the restaurant had a slower weekend than expected. ...
