Once upon a time when I was working at Kendall College in Chicago as a culinary instructor I experienced a brief, if not meteoric rise to fame. Followed almost immediately by a return to the shadows. Since I have been so neglectful of this blog over the past two years I felt it only appropriate to begin with an oldie but a goodie.
Ladies and gentleman I was the poster child for egg safety! The American Egg Board chose yours truly to be the face of culinary greatness, as it applies to eggs. I was not able to secure an SAG card so my part is limited to acting, not speaking. Check out my 15 minutes of fame in a series of four short videos titled inspect, clean, test and time. To view these little gems click on the four words in blue and all caps below the diagram.
The Egg Safety Cycle
Over the coming weeks I will be making some updates and changes to the blog. Please bear with me as I resurrect this little treasure trove of food information.
-Chef Alexander
Friday, May 4, 2012
Friday, August 13, 2010
Chef William W. Alexander
"What's cooking" was a phrase often used in my family household growing up. From working on one of four family farms or one of the two family restaurants you could say I was destined to be a chef. At 8 years old I had the choice of working in a hot potato shed or a hot kitchen, given the choice between two evils I chose the one with my mother. Working in the kitchen at Nanny's and The Blue Marlin in Barnwell, Alabama I was surrounded by the women of my family. Their love of food was infectious as was their appreciation for the time honored traditions found in southern cooking.
For the rest of my youth I worked at some of the most respected restaurants in Baldwin county. As much as food had always been a part of my life It wasn't until after high school that my true passion was realized. Working at the Grand Hotel I was introduced to Mark Quitney and Aaron Morgan. It was these two influential professionals who explained what being a chef really meant. From that moment on I was determined to not only continue my education but to see the craft from varying perspectives.
I launched myself head first into my studies at Faulkner State Community College where I received my associates in Culinary Arts, then transferred to the Culinary Institute of America where I completed my Bachelor of Professional Studies. My externship was under Chef Jamie Shannon at Commander's Palace in New Orleans, La. This experience is where I truly developed my craft and refined my culinary skills. My quest for knowledge led me to staging at Michael Mina and Boulevard in San Francisco, Tru in Chicago, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas and Highland Bar and Grill in Birmingham.
Some of the highlights of my career were working at the Fairhope Inn, Restaurant Varnedoe, and serving as a culinary instructor at Kendall College. I served as the Vice President of ACF Chicago, won the New Orleans Culinary Classic in 2002, nominated as ACF Chef of the year for the central region of the United States in 2008 and was featured in the America Egg Board's Egg Safety videos. I am an avid supporter of the slow foods movement and I have been involved in several promotional dinners, even one for Carlo Petrini, to showcase local sustainable agriculture.
For the rest of my youth I worked at some of the most respected restaurants in Baldwin county. As much as food had always been a part of my life It wasn't until after high school that my true passion was realized. Working at the Grand Hotel I was introduced to Mark Quitney and Aaron Morgan. It was these two influential professionals who explained what being a chef really meant. From that moment on I was determined to not only continue my education but to see the craft from varying perspectives.
I launched myself head first into my studies at Faulkner State Community College where I received my associates in Culinary Arts, then transferred to the Culinary Institute of America where I completed my Bachelor of Professional Studies. My externship was under Chef Jamie Shannon at Commander's Palace in New Orleans, La. This experience is where I truly developed my craft and refined my culinary skills. My quest for knowledge led me to staging at Michael Mina and Boulevard in San Francisco, Tru in Chicago, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas and Highland Bar and Grill in Birmingham.
Some of the highlights of my career were working at the Fairhope Inn, Restaurant Varnedoe, and serving as a culinary instructor at Kendall College. I served as the Vice President of ACF Chicago, won the New Orleans Culinary Classic in 2002, nominated as ACF Chef of the year for the central region of the United States in 2008 and was featured in the America Egg Board's Egg Safety videos. I am an avid supporter of the slow foods movement and I have been involved in several promotional dinners, even one for Carlo Petrini, to showcase local sustainable agriculture.
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