Up until 4 years ago I was not a chef. I was not really even a cook; I was an admirer and an eater: my experience never went beyond eating in restaurants and admiring my wife’s mother, an excellent cook. Growing up in Russia I was taught that the most helpful thing a man can do in the kitchen is… get out. I was encouraged to pick a trade that would allow me to provide for a family (and cooking was certainly not considered a valid option) and ended up in a comfortable finance job. I liked my job and the lifestyle it allowed me to have. However, I kept feeling that I was missing out on my true passion. Then, one day, I picked up a knife and a pan and have not dropped them since.
I continued to work full time in my position in Accounting when I took advantage of an opportunity to study at the French Culinary Institute. I cooked, I learned and I fell in love with it. After graduation, I became a Line Cook at Park Avenue Winter working in a high pressure, fast paced team environment. I continued perfecting my technique and picking up speed.
At nights, I was beginning to experiment with modern cooking techniques. I couldn't wait to get home from the long days at the restaurant and attempt some of the wild ideas floating in my head. To my wife, I became the mad scientist. Suddenly, our kitchen was filled with powders and slowly, my wife was pushed out of the kitchen. Teaching myself modern methods has encouraged my creativity and changed my approach when it comes to creating new dishes. As I fell deeper into my art, I understood that I needed to work in a way that would allow me to create my own menus. So, on my days off from the restaurant, I would focus on building my catering company as well as doing catering events. Eventually I left Park Avenue and focused all my energy on my catering business.
I love having the ability to be creative and to design my own menus that deliver a unique experience to my clients. My goal is to bring a high end restaurant into the kitchen of all my customers while creating flavorful and beautiful-looking dishes. One day, I hope to establish a boutique restaurant that lets me share some of the love I have for food, with others in a supper club-like atmosphere.
