Thursday, April 26, 2007

My Favorite Professional Chef: Alessandro Stratta

My favorite professional chef would have to be Alex Stratta. He is the executive chef at Alex, located in the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas. Alex has worked at many 4 star restaurants and after he went to Renoir at Mirage he was able to achieve the coveted Mobile 5 Star status after only 6 months. His restaurant Alex, is currently rated Mobil Five-star and AAA Five Diamond awards. It isn’t just the food he creates, which is phenomenal, but it is the whole experience of his restaurant. His staff is knowledgeable and friendly, they don’t mind if you linger over your dinner.

Alex’s signature dish, Braised Short Rib with Horseradish Potatoes, is the best meal I have ever eaten. My husband and I had gone to his restaurant for a nice dinner out and my husband was upset that they didn’t have steak (he is a steak and potatoes person) until he took my recommendation and tried the Braised Short Rib. The meat wasn’t tough at all, it fell off the bone and the flavor was rich and succulent. The Horseradish Potatoes were an excellent compliment to the meat.

Having worked with Alex for two years, I feel that he is a down to earth person. He enjoys spending time with his family and maintains a relaxed atmosphere not only in the office but also in the kitchen. You can walk into his kitchen and it is organized and neat, everyone knows what they are supposed to be doing and takes care of it. Alex doesn’t have to yell in his kitchen because his staff is some of the best in the industry. Alex is an overall great person and I have enjoyed meeting him and tasting his wonderful creations.

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