Chef Alex Dino, Sears Chef Challenge Grand Champion
Multi-talented and multi-faceted Filipino-American chef Alex Dino is on a roll.
The running chef added another feather to his cap last week by winning the grand championship of Sears Chef Challenge, a seven-month long cooking competition that began with 24 chefs who were narrowed down to two finalists through a national online vote, regional in-store recipe demos and semi-final cook-offs.
“I could not believe that I won, knowing that I’m the least favorite. Also, I beat a chef instructor from a prestigious culinary school,” he shared.
Last month, Chef Alex also launched his first cookbook Modern Tofu: Delightfully Decadent and Healthy in an event held at The Running Company, a store for running habitues like the chef.
“I feel very blessed and I am very thankful,” Chef Alex said during his book launch. He paid tribute to his friends and family, particularly his mother, for consistently guiding him.
The book is an homage of sorts to the tofu and as a healthy eater, Chef Alex said that foodies, chefs and anyone with a sizzling passion for tofu can find an array of delectable dishes in his book of recipes. Chef Alex gives a new twist on an old staple—the tofu itself—and shows everyone that it can be used a a main ingredient for hors d’oeuvres and appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, as well as desserts. Caramelized Mango Tofu over Phyllo Dough, anyone?
Modern Tofu is packed with 50 healthy and easy-to-prepare recipes using the familiar Asian staple. In fact, this handy cookbook offers a variety of ideas on how to use tofu in traditional as well as modern cooking, and still come up with a culinary feast that is both healthy and satisfying.
Chef Alex’s first foray into food happened when he was a young boy growing up in Tondo, Manila. His mother Fe had an eatery aptly called Fe’s carinderia, a typical Filipino restaurant where people go for delicious home-cooked meals. As such, Alex’s curiosity about food got piqued, his interest about cooking heightened.
A New York-trained chef now, Alex worked in research and development for a food processing company in the Philippines while he pursues his certification in baking at the Center for Culinary Arts Manila. Shortly after he arrived in the United States, he graduated with honors from the Art Institute of New York and began perfecting his craft working in the city’s famous restaurants and hotels, including Le Bernardin, Alta and Marriott.
Then came the February 2008 issue of Fortune Magazine, which featured the best three company cafeterias across America (Google, Ebay, and Factset Research Systems) and their outstanding chefs. Among the best three chefs cited by Fortune is Chef Alex, the brilliant mind behind the “standout cafeteria cafe” of Factset Research Systems in Connecticut. The company was named by Fortune Magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For.”
With all his experience and awards tucked under his belt, Alex ventured into food business and now he is the executive chef and owner of Sachet d’Epices catering company, which serves the tri-state area. His culinary creations focus on using classic Asian and European cooking techniques coupled with the finest seasonal ingredients to create unique dishes.
Born and raised in Tondo, Alex is second to the eldest of 4 children. He and his brothers Lawrence and Dennis and sister Khat have been exposed to the cafeteria business ever since they were children. What used to be hard work for such a young boy proved to be the best training ground for his career of choice.
“Masipag na siya noon pa man, tinutulungan na niya ako sa carinderia namin. Hindi ko nga akalaing matutupad niya dito sa America ang mga pangarap niya,” (“He has been industrious since he was a young boy, he used to help me in our food business. I didn’t expect him to pursue and fulfill his dreams here in America”), Fe, Alex’s mother told us.
Chef Alex Dino has been profiled in Asian Journal’s Galing Pinoy series, a section of this newspaper that highlights the achievements and stories of Filipinos who have achieved their dreams and made it big in their own respective fields.
In that interview, Alex recalled his life as a kid in Manila in the 80s, before his mother emigrated to America.
“My daily routine as I was growing up was to wake up very early in the morning to go to Divisoria with my mom. We would shop for all the food stuff that we needed for the carinderia. As soon as we got back, I helped in preparing the viands that will be served for lunch and dinner. I would then take a little rest before I got ready for school.”
Then in 2001, Alex joined his family in Connecticut. He enrolled in a culinary school to further hone his talent and pursue his passion for food.
Alex worked full-time in a grocery and deli shop while studying full time. “I graduated 2003 and did my externship in Alta Restaurant and Le Bernardin, in New York City. There, I learned so many things about fish and seafood because both of these restaurants are known for that.”
“After my internship, Alta restaurant hired me as a line cook. Being new, I was doing the most menial jobs like washing the pots and pans, mopping the floor, cleaning the kitchen etc. That was my initiation period,” said Alex.
From Alta restaurant, Alex later moved to Whole Foods Market as production chef. “I was in charge of catering and daily production but my work ended early because I was in the early morning shift. So, I was able to get a second job. I worked in Marriot Hotel as a banquet cook in the evening shift. Later, I was promoted to sous chef or assistant to the executive chef in Marriot.”
In 2006, Alex was hired as executive chef and asked to run the Cafeteria of Factset Research Systems (the top 52nd company in Fortune’s 100 best companies to work for in America). “I guess they just really needed a chef at that time and they decided to give me a shot,” said Alex humbly. “I think it has worked well for us,” he added.
Aside from being a chef and a cookbook author, Alex is also very athletic. He is a big cycling fan and on the side, he does marathons. He has joined the Boston Marathon twice, finishing in the top 400 out of more than 10,000 runners. Aside from being a competitive marathoner, he is also a certified running coach, a sponsored athlete and an ambassador of The Running Company.
This passion for cycling and endurance sports began in his early twenties. In 2003, he began doing long distance running and started competing locally, running half-marathons and other races. He has participated in numerous national and international marathon events including the prestigious Chicago, New York and Boston Marathon. Between October 2008 and November 2009, Alex competed in seven full marathons, including two weeks back to back, landing him a Marathon Maniacs membership.
As a Road Runners Club of America-certified running coach, Alex has been training and coaching athletes of all levels. “There is nothing more gratifying than watchings omeone I coached cross the finish line,” he says.
Sears Chef Challenge
Sears combined two key ingredients of the holiday season, food and charity, as it announced Chef Alex’s win at the Sears Chef Challenge Grand Championship last week.
As a result of winning the cooking competition, Chef Alex will be able to help the Food Bank of Central New York, a food bank working to eliminate hunger through nutritious food distribution, education and advocacy in cooperation with the community. As part of Chef Alex’s winnings, Sears will make a $20,000 donation on his behalf to The Food Bank of Central New York. In addition to the charitable donation, Sears is providing Chef Alex with an entire home kitchen renovation, a suite of brand new Kenmore appliances and the opportunity to become a guest blogger on Sears.com.
The two finalists, Chef Mark Maassen and Chef Alex, competed in a series of head-to-head cooking challenges during the event and were scored by a panel of expert and culinary judges based on the taste and appearance of their recipes. As the primary culinary challenge for the finals, each chef was required to select three common household canned food products and incorporate them into a recipe using a previously set list of ingredients provided for the competition.
“I feel fortunate to have taken part in the Sears Chef Challenge and have the chance to give back to a well-deserving charity in need during the holiday season,” said Alex. “I want to thank Sears for giving me this opportunity, as the Sears Chef Challenge has been a fantastic national platform to share my passion for combining the culinary arts with charity.”
Chef Alex displayed his culinary skills during the Sears Chef Challenge Grand Championship through his winning version of a bento box recipe featuring octopus, tuna and scallops, among many other delicious ingredients.
“Through the Sears Chef Challenge, we were excited to bring increased visibility and much-needed financial support to select local charities nationwide that the various chefs represented during the contest,” said Doug Moore, president of Home Appliances for Sears.
“I had a plan and I knew if I can execute properly I will win, but when my sous chef went down, became more aggressive and confident,” Alex added.
The Sears Chef Challenge consisted of a three-phased cooking competition—quarter finals, semi-finals and Grand Championship. In-house chefs at Sears selected 15 professional chefs from Le Cordon Bleu and the United States Personal Chef Association (based on personality, style and their recipe), along with nine “wild card” chefs from online video submissions (based on bio, recipe, why they should win and customer votes).
And yes, a Filipino chef emerged victorious in this gruelling search.
A chef who has his own catering company who runs marathons who just wrote his first cookbook. That is Chef Alex Dino in a nutshell. From humble beginnings in Tondo, Manila to being featured as a top chef in Fortune Magazine, Chef Alex is living the life.
It took a lot of hard work and perseverance before he was able to see the fruit of his hard work. For him, there are no shortcuts.
His advice to his kababayans who want to achieve the proverbial American Dream—“Don’t give up. Open your eyes & ears and be a learner. If you keep continuing to learn things and skills, before you know it, you will outsmart everyone around you.”
(www.asianjournal.com)
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