The Chefs View

12/16/2025

Grateful does not even begin to cover it.

I have spent 24 years sharpening a craft that most people only see for a few moments on a plate. What they do not see are the long nights, the missed moments, the pressure, the self doubt, and the discipline it takes to keep showing up when no one is clapping.

Being a yacht chef has taken me places I once only imagined. Different countries, different cultures, different versions of myself. Every journey reminds me that mastery is not built overnight. It is built through repetition, humility, and choosing the work even when it is uncomfortable.

This career has shaped my patience, my perspective, and my gratitude. I no longer chase perfection, I chase presence. To be here, to cook with intention, to appreciate how far the work has taken me.

If you are in the middle of your grind, keep going. Time in the trade compounds in ways you cannot see yet.

What has your craft taught you about yourself?

12/14/2025

We made it to the Dom Republic, the water is fine, got some reviews in coming at you soon and I’m still grateful for this life of travel 🧳

12/13/2025

I wasn’t expecting to find one of the best meals in South Florida tucked into a small spot in Dania Beach but here we are.

Uzbeki cuisine done right. Every single note hit.

The place is called “Grandma’s Secret” and trust me it is not a secret anymore. I went with my foodie friends who own Nour Thai Kitchen in Oakland Park (my fave Thai in America) and these guys are hard to impress. We ordered almost everything they still had and that right there should tell you something. They sell out so come early.

You can feel that most of the food is made from scratch. You taste it immediately. The kind of food that slows the table down because everyone is quietly locked in.

The dumplings were delicate and rich. The dumpling soup was comforting in a way that makes you lean back and smile. Then came the chicken soup and wow. You could literally feel the umami from them cooking a whole chicken and building that broth with intention. Deep clean flavor.

Then this fruit juice came out and it honestly felt like drinking the most natural version of Kool Aid I have ever had. Bright. Fresh. Addicting. Mint tea with real fresh mint followed and somehow it just kept getting better.

Lamb kabobs. Shawarma. Fresh bread coming out warm. Every bite felt personal.

The space is small about fifteen seats inside and maybe twenty on the patio but that is part of the magic. You sit down strangers and within minutes you are talking like family. We were chatting with the people across from us and the service made it feel like we had been coming here for years.

We finished with baklava and Edric said it was the best he has ever had. I do not disagree.

They don’t have any social media that I can find so here is their address: 50 E Dania Beach Blvd, Dania Beach, FL 33004

So now I have to ask you
Have you had Uzbeki food before???
Would you wait for a place that sells out daily
And do you believe the best food is usually found in the smallest rooms?

Tell me below and if you are in South Florida this one needs to be on your list.

12/12/2025

Morning from here 🙂 Where are you? Drop your location below 👇

12/11/2025

Check out the view of the office for the evening. Grilling and watching the sun go down. We just passed Cuba this afternoon and should be in Dominican Republic 🇩🇴 in a couple days. Where is your favorite place to visit????

12/07/2025

“Flavor Town Roller Coaster”

Krakatoa Indonesian Cuisine - Hollywood Florida

The Dish - Semur $29
“FEATURED ON TRIPLE “D” Guy Fieri Show Food Network Channel”
Protein of choice cooked with vegetables bathed in a rich, earthy sauce of whole cardamon, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and sweet Indonesian soy sauce. (A spectacular dish from Java)

This dish hits all your umami senses like a pinball in a pinball machine. Like a “Flavor Town” roller coaster of flavors that ignite every sense and get your taste buds salivating for more. Just thinking of this sauce-like gravy makes my mouth salivate.

This dish is absolutely extraordinary and you can feel the intense flavor of the Cinnamon, Cardamon, Star Anise & Cloves just bubbling up through each bite. One of the fun things for me was pulling out each piece of these fresh ingredients and sucking on them as you would the bone in a steak and then putting them to the side.

This dish is accompanied by the most fragrant coconut rice and 3 types of cabbage as well as array of dipping sauces and fried tapioca shells.

I highly recommend giving this little quant eatery a try in Hollywood Florida. I sat outside near the street to catch the vibe of the locals and tourists walking and enjoying the city.

There is also this cool little mystic shop next door were they read palms and such, next time I might go get my chakra realigned 😉

Krakatoa Indonesian Cuisine Cooking group & recipes

12/07/2025

What are your thoughts on Lab Grown Meats????

Do you really know what is in your food?

That question is at the center of a growing debate in Missouri, where state lawmakers are moving to block future sales of lab-grown meat before it ever hits store shelves.