Chef Dan Orange County and Long Beach, CA

Serve Safe Manager Level Certificate #19416986
An Interview with chef Dan:

What made you want to become a chef?
My Dad had a large impact on my outlook towards food and what the food industry had to offer. He was a chef before I was born, he was very creative with food and appreciated great quality ingredients. He opened my eyes to many new foods, and cultural dishes from places he had traveled to. When I was a kid, my dad worked in the wine business, and we often went to restaurants and food/beverage events on the weekend. That experience formed my interest in the food service industry. When I got my first job working in a kitchen, it felt like a very natural environment for me to be in and cooking was a creative outlet I enjoyed. As I continued to hone my skills in the kitchen I realized that I wanted to make a career of cooking and being a chef. 


What is your signature dish?
I would say that I don’t have an exact signature dish but rather a food that I enjoy making the most and enjoy making for friends and family is Pizza. Experimenting with crafting different dough recipes, making sauces, and cooking in a wood fire oven is always exciting and inspiring to me. 


What are the five ingredients you can’t live without?
Probably Olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, a really good quality parmesan cheese, eggs because of their versatility, and seafood.


What do you love about cooking?
Getting to be creative with different ingredients, and experimenting with flavor profiles, to find something new. When in the context of working in a professional kitchen I really enjoy the flow state you can get into when cooking at a fast pace and creating lots of dishes.


When you’re creating a new recipe, what influences and inspires you?
I like to draw influence from different cultures and research different ingredients that are representative of those areas. I get inspired when thinking how the people of that culture might be making or eating a dish I am trying to create and what adaptations I can make from there. 


What advice would you give a new cook?
Focusing on building good knife skills and working in an organized and clean manner is vital to cooking in any kitchen. Having these basic skills makes it easier to build on any skills after that, and allows you to be more creative in the kitchen when you can operate in a well maintained space.


What are your guilty pleasures?
Probably ice cream, coffee, and a late night bowl of cereal. In no particular order


What 5 tools should every new cook have in the kitchen?
A sharp chef's knife, a peeler, microplane, bench scraper, and spoons for tasting. 


List/describe three of your favorite tips or techniques you use in the kitchen?
Cleaning and being able to break down proteins into consistent even portions both for meat and seafood.
Trussing is a great technique to have under your belt to help ensure cook your item cook evenly, 
Being able to multitask in the kitchen helps you to cook and create meals fast.



Read Dan's blogs!
Chef Dan is well versed in seasonal, global and healthy cooking, he has worked in catering and restaurants throughout the Los Angeles area for the last 12 years. As a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, California, he has put in the hard work and dedication needed to master his craft, source the best ingredients and present it with a seasonal and health conscious touch.

Chefs Dan has a Nutrition Coach certification with the National Acadamy of Sports Medicine.  Specializing in low carb, low sodium, vegan, paleo and plant based diets Dan is always learning new diets.  His personal goal is to provide his clients with  the most satisfying meals, full of flavor and packed with all of the dietary needs for each individual. 
 
Dan has worked and studied Vegan, vegetarian, and Gluten free cooking under Chef Susuan Feniger of Border Grill in Los Angeles. During his time working at Chef Feniger’s Restaurant he helped to research, and adapt many dishes to fit these diets, as well as many others. Chef Dan believes working with clients and customers who have strict dietary restrictions is always fulfilling, creating fun and unique ways to present someone with a dish that surpasses their expectations should always be the goal.

“You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together.” –  Anthony Bourdain
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Specialty Diet Cuisine Expertise:  Low Carb, Vegan, Vegetarian, Plant Based, Gluten free, Keto, Anit-Inflammatory, Lectin- free, Mediterrenane, Dash, Paleo, Macros/Calories, Allergies & Sensitivities

Sample Menus

Fall and Winter Sample Menu
 
Salad
Winter citrus salad
Blood orange, grapefruit and valencia orange. Arugula and chicory greens
Macadamia nut, red onion, basil, herbed goat cheese and avocado oil balsamic dressing
 
Appetizer
Roasted Brussel sprouts with hazelnuts, lemon and poached egg, roasted shallot vinaigrette
 
Dinner
Dry rubbed King salmon with wild mushroom demi-glace 
Thyme and rosemary roasted sweet potato and grilled asparagus
 
Dessert
Roasted Pear crisp with rolled oats, sweetened with stevia
With amaretto chantilly cream

A few of my favorite creations include:
Stephanie
Dan was amazing!! So pleased with the job he did. Everyone loved the food. Thank you.

Eric
It could not have been better. Dan was great and all the food we have tried so far tasted amazing. He also cleaned the kitchen perfectly.

Linda
​Both Jim and I are feeling the positive health benefits already of having well balanced nutritional meals every day. Previously, I couldn’t keep up with the cooking for both Jim’s and my different needs so I think we were both feeling a little depleted. The meals you are preparing are giving us the energy and nourishment we especially need right now. 
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