AbouT CHEF MIKE

I BEGAN AS HEAD CHEF AT SANTACAFE IN Santa Fe New Mexico in 1985.  I created a menu of things I loved, many of which I still cook today.  It was at Santacafe where I created my signature Shrimp Dumplings, Spring Rolls and my first cookbook EAST MEETS SOUTHWEST.  it was at Santacafe where I suddenly the caught the eyes of food writers like MIMI SHERATON  from  Conde Naste and was featured in a very fancy book COOKING WITH HERBS along with all the most famous chefs of the time. 

 i was not formally trained as a Chef and had always been an artist and and studied at PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN in Manhattan so this was all a big surprise!  i designed the restaurants logo, painted walls for halloween, designed the t-shirts (MARTINA NAVRATOLVA was pictured in one in the TIMES).

ROBERT REDFORD hosted a giant event at Santacafe and I met JAMES BEARD and JULIA CHILD while I was there.

In 1991 I left Santacafe and  moved to New Orleans and Created Mike's On The Avenue with my business partner VICKY BAYLEY.  Again I created a menu of things I loved incorporating a subtle blend of New Orleans ingredients - The Restaurant Mike's took the city by storm, we were packed from day one to the tune of 400 covers a night!  It was here where my signature Blackened Tuna Napoleon and BBQ Oysters came to be along with dozens of other creations.  

I designed Mike's interior - took out all the old and painted it white, (at the time 1991 nothing in NEW ORLEANS looked  like this) hand painted the wait staffs neck ties (which we sold hundreds of), designed the MIRO like carpet throughout the restaurant, painted all of art on the walls, which began to sell and was picked by the well known ARTHUR ROGER GALLERY - I created the Logo, hand painted the Menu plus endless art projects - THE NEW YORK TIMES called MIKE's as classic as a Channel suit.

MIKE"S was praised by numerous writers and received many awards - BEST NEW CHEF - FOOD & WINE TOP 10 NEW CHEFS - GREAT CHEFS PBS - FEATURED IN ESQUIRE - ART CULINARE 50th anniversary issue - JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION and NUMEROUS PUBLICATIONS and TV spots.

MY FOOD has always been a cross-cultural  melting pot, I believe many different cuisines naturally work well together.  some of my most successful creations are a blend of contrasting cuisines - My BLACKENED TUNA NAPOLEON combines Chinese with New Orleans flavors - My BBQ OYSTERS combines Korean and Italian - My SPRING ROLLS combine Vietnamese with regional American - My PASTAS combine everything. imaginable  -  I have always designed my restaurant menus using a combination of cross- cultural ingredients and influences from there locations, Typically the base recipe is Asian inspired then mixed with local regional ingredients - like Chinese CRISPY DUCK with tortillas and Vermont Maple dipping sauce.

I have cooking always, professionally for 40 years in many locations - New York, San Francisco, Santa Fe, New Orleans, Hawaii, Cape Cod and Now Maine - to say I cook alot would be a huge understatement!  I literally cook all day most of the time, hopefully better as I go...

MY BRILLIANT CAREER

- SANTACAFE, Santa Fe  - Executive Chef

- MIKE'S ON THE AVENUE - New Orleans - Chef/ Co-owner

- MIKE'S ON POST - San Francisco - Chef/Owner

- MECCA - San Francisco - Executive Chef

- RESTAURANT KAIKODO - Executive Chef - Hawaii

- OHIA - New Orleans - Executive Chef

- VICTOR'S - Provincetown - Executive Chef

- WABI DUMPLINGS - Provincetown - Chef Co-owner

- MIKE'S EAST?WEST - New Orleans - Chef Co-owner

- WABICAFE - Maine - Chef Co-owner