Yup! I went to culinary school in San Francisco in 2004, and then worked my way up in a bunch of restaurants for nearly a decade. After that, I left the restaurant world and I've spent the last several years as the regional head chef for a national private chef agency, cooking for all sorts of folks in all sorts of situations. My philosophy on food is pretty simple. Get GREAT ingredients, and don’t mess them up. Make the best version of whatever it is you’re making. Keep it seasonal and local. Care about who grew what you're cooking, and care about cooking it. Bio: A graduate of the California Culinary Academy, Alex began his professional career in 2005 at Moose’s, where he worked his way through each station. During the next several years, he continued to develop his craft in various positions at Michelin-starred restaurants One Market and Acquerello, as well as Zuppa and Yoshi's. In June 2008, Alex helped open local favorite Chow Danville as the sous chef, where he prepared seasonal Northern Californian cuisine and eventually oversaw the daily operations of the restaurant. Besides cooking, Alex enjoys making music, creating custom furniture and kitchen tools in the shop, playing volleyball, and gardening. He also enjoys spending time with his family, and teaching his little guy all about everything.

Great question. You're so smart. Pretty much all the produce comes from the Agricultural Institute of Marin's Farmer's Market, and many of my favorite farms are listed in the "Farms & Friends" tab. Everything else is as local, organic, sustainable, and delicious as possible. We're pretty serious about out fresh artisan breads and more here, so yeah, we try to use the good stuff.

Westley: [entering the fire swamp] It's not that bad. [Buttercup stares at him incredulously.] Westley: I'm not saying I'd like to build a summer home here, but the trees are actually quite lovely. Growing up, The Princess Bride was a family favorite. We watched the movie on repeat and read the book several times. I always liked how the fire swamp was a crazy place with well known terrors, but still had some romantic appeal. Basically, I just love it.