Amici

Through hard work and dedication over the years, Executive Chef Alex A. Daku has experienced all facets of life in the professional kitchen. The man now at the helm of the Amici as an executive chef and owner has been bringing quality Italian food for nearly tow decades. His menus extend beyond the territories of traditional cuisine and incorporate... continental influences to appeal to the tastes of a broader reception. Alexs passion for cooking first emerged during adolescence. His earliest lessons in the culinary arts came when working in a busy restaurant owned and operated by his family. It was there that he learned the foundations of a strong, successful kitchen which compelled him to make skillful food preparation a lifelong pursuit. At age seventeen, Alex pursued a culinary education in Torino, in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy, studying classic Italian and Mediterranean disciplines. He worked his way through various European kitchens, honing his craft and learning new techniques while carrying a full course load. Before opening his own Amici Restaurant, he cooked at a number of fine dining establishments in New York City such as Il Molino, Aqua Blue, Tech Villa and Midtown Wests CPS, Brownstones in West Paterson before landing at Le Jardin, earning him a lot of awards. Alex is known for his innovative and personal take on classic cuisine. A self-proclaimed gastronome, he believes in incorporating the flavors and techniques from different cooking philosophies into innovative interpretations. He describes his Italian cooking style while utilizing classic and avant-garde disciplines. He is inspired by quality and freshness of ingredients, and highly values the art of presentation to create dishes that are memorable. He approaches each dish as an opportunity to make a connection with the client and to affect the way they experience food.Read More