Dan J L

I was born into a restaurant family in Sacramento, CA. Since I was able to hold a knife I was in the kitchen working as a prep cook, honing in techniques that would serve me later as a private cook for events as well as the cook in our family's home. Before moving to Oakland, I hosted monthly dinners for a group of adults where I developed menus based on the season and prepared the meals in front of an audience as a sort of cooking class. I've drawn inspiration from the Spanish restaurant (Tapa the World) in which I grew up, but also from the culinary experiences throughout California and the world, including the countless hours of travel/ cooking shows watched. I am continually growing as a creative cook through daily cooking, on top of a full time job, and am constantly trying to recreate or combine my culinary experiences. I have the experience as a cook for groups of 10-20, as a waiter in a popular restaurant, and as a host for small-medium sized gatherings.