Juan Alvarado

My signature dish, is my Dino Short Rib. It was an inspiration from my oldest son Lorenzo. He is obsessed with dinosaurs, and one night while I was planning a new menu release for the restaurant. He said "He Daddy, why dont you put a dinosaur steak on the menu?" That's where the idea came from. It starts with a layer of creamy gruyere mashed potatoes (more so a puree, of how smooth it is), braised bone in short rib, topped with fried onions, chives, and Demi glaze.

My culinary inspiration is my Mom. It's not a celebrity chef, it's my mom. As a kid she worked 2 jobs, but never missed a school drop off, or bedtime. She's not a professionally trained, she just cooks from the heart. She worked a restaurant for over 10 years until it closed. She retired, and I feel like part of her misses it so much. Her work ethic and drive, she worked so hard so her children could have a better future, so she's my inspiration in general, not just culinary.

We have 3 young children, 6, 2, and 4 months. I would put part of it aside for their future. I would pay off some bills. I would also plan a trip to Mexico, so my kids can see where their Daddy is from. So they can understand their culture and history. Id take the whole family with, it's been a crazy few years, and I would love to give back to them, by giving them a trip they dont forget. I know it doesn't sound exciting, but I live a pretty easy lifestyle. The money would go back to my fam.