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There’s just one day left in the Chef Works Chef Appreciation Week Sale. Take 15 percent off of your entire order of $50 – with 10 percent going to the Trotter Project – by entering CHEFLIFE18 at checkout. Sale ends tomorrow night.
As Chef Appreciation Week comes to a close several connoisseurs of the kitchen have taken the time this week to think about what they’re most appreciative of and how they like to be appreciated.
Without a doubt, the majority say it’s the chef who influenced/mentored them in their careers. This could be a mother or grandmother, a culinary professor or the first executive chef they worked under. Sometimes, a chef just needs a chance. That’s where D.J. Tangalin comes in.
The executive chef at Bivouac Ciderworks in San Diego recognizes the importance of mentorship. That’s why he started the Rising Star Dinner Series earlier this year. Tangalin cut his teeth under some of the world’s most influential chefs, including Eric Ripert, Daniel Patterson and Douglas Keane. Now, through his pop-up series, he’s hoping to pay it forward by pairing established chefs with up-and-comers.
“Being a mentor for this dinner series was an honor,” said Lety Gonzalez, executive chef at Beerfish. “Since I didn’t go to culinary school, having mentors was what I needed to succeed. My kitchen is a learning kitchen. As mentors, we have the tools to help people succeed. It would be a shame if we couldn’t keep passing those skills along.”
Nikki Brigante, the kitchen manager at Bivouac, and Tina Gamel, Bivouac’s pastry sous chef, both had the opportunity to be mentored at last month’s Rising Star dinner. Working with Kristianna Zabala from KRZ Kitchen, the pair relished the experience.
“She made it a safe space for me and Nikki to explore what we wanted to do and to voice our ideas without judgment,” Gamel said. “Kristianna is incredibly knowledgeable and was able to give us some tips and pointers for where to get ingredients or expand on ideas to make them a bit more cohesive.”
Added Brigante: “I’ve never had a woman mentor so I was super excited about this dinner. She was so real and was able to give me confidence not only as a cook, but awesome advice on motherhood and finding balance in your life. I’ve been very lucky to have great mentors.”
The next Rising Star pop-up dinner will take place at Bivouac Ciderworks on Aug. 27.
“I enjoy being able to use my kitchen as a platform,” Tangalin said. “There is so much talent in San Diego and I want to help raise its visibility as a food town. That means making mentors available to the next generation of young chefs. That’s something that all of us in the industry can appreciate.”