Chef Manager Alex Stanko
Alex Stanko is excited to lead Dwight-Englewood School’s dining service program as Chef Manager. Prior to joining Cater To You in 2019, Alex’s talents were put to good use as Executive Chef/Partner at Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque. There, he helped oversee recipe development, production, and staff training. He also assisted with the opening of numerous outlets and franchises in New York City, as well as internationally in Dubai, Manila and Taiwan.
His formal culinary training took place at The French Culinary Institute where he received the Grand Diplome in Culinary Arts. He staged under Wylie Dufresne at wd~50 before working for five years in various capacities at Club Mediterranee in Florida, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas.
Chef Alex’s inspiration to cook is often rooted in his belief in the primacy of food. He explains, “Obviously, everyone must eat, and this can be (and often is) a mundane experience. However, when viewed through alternate lenses, food is inextricable from its history and anthropology. Trauma, joy, and nearly any thinkable human condition can be and has been related through food. This fascinates me, as there is no end to learning from the past and discovering the future through food.” He adds, “The experience of cooking is all-encompassing. A chef must use all their faculties and resources daily. A chef must be a strong scientist, mathematician, athlete, general, and artist often at the same time. This challenge never grows dull.”
Chef Alex’s strongest culinary influences come from his time spent abroad. He has lived or worked in Siberia, throughout the Caribbean, in Patagonia, Chile, and traveled extensively for both leisure and learning. In addition, his wife was born and raised in Japan, which also influences the foods and traditions they uphold in their home. Now, at Dwight-Englewood School, Alex gets great satisfaction from seeing how much the students enjoy lunch, and from serving from-scratch, healthy options to the community. “At Dwight Englewood…the students, faculty, and staff strive for greatness in the classrooms, theaters, and on sports fields daily. To serve an average meal or to miss expectations simply isn’t acceptable. This high standard constantly presses the kitchen team to strive to be its best.”
When Chef Alex is not busy in the kitchen, he enjoys exploring the natural bounty surrounding his home in Morris County with his wife and two children. An avid soccer player in his youth and through college, he also still enjoys playing recreationally when time allows. “At home,” Alex says, “we eat simply.” Think foraging when the season allows and a savory plate of buttery, sauteed wild Chantarelle, Morel, or Oyster Mushrooms with flaky salt and a sprinkling of fresh herbs.