What the Chef Eats

RSS New story alertsAlerts

Garden Veggie Lasagna

Recipe by Daniel Manrique, executive chef, the Red Door To tell you the truth, my mother wasn’t a good cook. I started to cook for my little sister by the time I was nine or ...

Candied Yams

Recipe by Bradrick “Coop” Cooper of Coop’s West Texas Barbecue I’ve always had this thing for cooking. I grew up in San Diego with my mom. She and my aunt owned a soul-food restaurant in ...

Spicy English Muffin Pizza Bites

Recipe by Ben Diaz, Executive Chef, McCormick & Schmicks at The Omni Hotel My father was a chef. When I was about 15, he used to bring me into his kitchen to peel potatoes. I ...

Pear Chutney

Recipe by Colin Maclaggan, executive chef and owner, Avenue 5 Restaurant I’ve always enjoyed cooking. I grew up in Serra Mesa, and at family gatherings, the action was always in the kitchen. Even in college, ...

Boeuf Bourguignon

Recipe by Rene Herbeck, executive chef, Au Revoir Bistro My dad was in the Foreign Legion and when he was in Vietnam, he met my mother. I was born there and lived in Vietnam until ...

Truffled Chicken Croquettes

Recipe by Anthony Sinsay, executive chef, Harney Sushi, Old Town I come from an Asian and Filipino background. My dad was in the Navy for 17 years and was the cook in our house. He ...

Braised Short Ribs

Recipe by Roberto Gerbino, Executive Chef, Il Fornaio, Del Mar If you ask me what age I started cooking, I will tell you I was born in a restaurant. My father had a restaurant and ...

Basil Pesto

Recipe by Mark Pelliccia, chef and co-owner, 25Forty Bistro & Bakehouse Many chefs cook the kind of food they like to eat. I am simple when it comes to the food I eat. Eggplant parmigiano ...

Kare Kare

Recipe by Craig Jimenez, executive chef, Craft & Commerce I never thought cooking would be a career. It wasn’t until I failed miserably at a T-shirt business when I was in my 20s did I ...

Arroz Caldo

Recipe by Chef Evan Cruz, executive chef, Pacifica Del Mar For me, it’s a funny story. I was going to become a chiropractor. But when I was going to chiropractic school, I got into a ...

Italian Grilled Chicken with Vegetables and Quinoa

Recipe by Mike Liotta, chef de cuisine, Quarter Kitchen I spent my early years in the South. I know, an Italian family that grew up in the South, right? But I think it’s a really ...