My name is Pete. I cook and I eat. That means I’ve got something in common with just about everyone on the planet. The only difference is, unlike most everyone else, I get paid to do it…..the cooking part that is…

So, being a Professional Chef in a crowd at a dinner party is kind of like being a doctor… THE authority…an expert…the person people ask when they can’t quite figure out what to do next…. maybe it’s a white coat thing? In this case, I’m the guy in the white coat giving advice on what’s cooking instead of… what’s ailing…

 You see, cooking is what I do….and have ever since I got my first “Easy Bake” oven at the age of 10….but the leap from an Easy Bake oven to Honor’s Graduate at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America took a lot of  hard work and perseverance. I also learned that it’s just as important to know why, as to know how. Unfortunately, most people never learn from a foundation of principles. They make a recipe, they don’t know a recipe. There is a difference.

Remember “Connect the Dots”? You start at dot one, and draw a line to dot two, then three and so on. And, as you go, the picture takes shape right? Now, picture a piece of paper with those same dots but with no numbers. What are the chances that you’d figure out what the picture was supposed to look like? Not likely.

My point (or dot) here is that each recipe you learn is like a dot, and what I try to do is help people know how to connect it to the next dot so that they eventually see the big picture. I suppose it’s the “teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” idea.

It’s quite rewarding actually. And, quite a responsibility…after all, you are what you eat. If I were in another profession I might have the luxury to say “don’t attempt this at home…I’m a professional”…but of course, home is EXACTLY where I know you’re going to attempt it! And I promise you we can get through this together.

At Nino’s, we’re all about educating our customers. So, if you have a question, let me know. Maybe I can help? Just drop me a line…

More about me if you’re interested….

Education and experience are two ways to measure a Chef’s talent. But as a Chef can’t make every dish that leaves their kitchen, the third and perhaps most important talent is their ability to teach and mentor. A bit of my background follows:

The short list

• Honors Graduate of the Culinary Institute of America
• Executive Chef, Pastry Chef, Culinary Educator, Food Artist, Columnist & Consultant.
• Winner of Detroit’s Restaurant of the Year and DiRoNa Award Winner.

 …and a little hard work never hurt anyone

• Sous Chef, Money Tree Restaurant, Detroit
• Chef de Partie, The London Chop House, Detroit
• Culinary Instructor C.I.A.
• Executive Chef, University Club of M.S.U.
• Executive Pastry Chef, Long’s Banquet and Convention Center
• Chef Garde Manger, The Detroit Plaza Hotel, Detroit
• Pastry Chef, A Baker’s Dozen
• Culinary Instructor, Macomb Community College
• Chef/Consultant, Camino Real, Cancun, Mexico
• Culinary Instructor, Monroe Community College
• Food Columnist, Monroe Evening News
• Culinary Consultant, Sheraton Hotels
• Chef/Consultant, The Chambertin Restaurant, Dearborn
• Executive Chef, Opus One, Detroit
• Corporate Chef, Epoch Restaurant Group, Novi (including the local and nationally renowned restaurants Tribute, Forte, Too Chez and Latitude, Epoch Events and Epoch Artisan Bakery)
• Director of Culinary Development, Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace