We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alex Park. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alex below.

Alex, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

So let’s start off with this…I am very happy with what I am able to create as an artist through food, as a Chef, my work is edible and delicious! I have been doing this for almost 20 years and wouldn’t bat an eye, I have done tech in the past, but that was boring and uneventful as far as getting my creative side out.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

As a child, I was always in the kitchen with my mom trying to help as much as I could because I grew up in a very food friendly environment, I decided to become a chef at an early age around 6 years old. I started my professional career while I was in the last semester of culinary school at Cerritos College ran by as true professor of cuisine Chef Pierini who is still teaching yound and old minds about the craft.

Problems I have had about the industry is the brigade system is the toxicity of it, meaning, higher ups, mid, lower, there are plenty of great chefs out there. I began my career as a young cook in fine dining steakhouses and learned a lot quick, but I never took time for myself going from job to job making little to no money and taking on vices that weren’t necessarily the best for mental or physical well being.

With that being said, what sets me apart from the rest is my intuition, and my mix of cultures mainly Mexican and Japanese, Everything is meticulously thought out and prepared with finesse using my classically French trained background and love of Japanese food, mainly Ramen.

What I am most proud of is I am doing pretty much doing things that are unheard of, again, thoughtfully prepared, I have a prime example of this…What do you think of when you hear birria ramen? Birria with consume over tapatio instant noodles, don’t get me wrong, it’s delicious, but it’s kind of a excuse my French, a “Fuck you” to what the Japanese do, the mentality, the work that goes into it, and the balance of everything. I make everything from scratch and with purpose, nothing is there for gimmicky shit.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Honestly, it’s just making good food to the best of my ability…Instant gratification plays a huge part in this career, you get to instantly see people smiling and enjoying your intense labor of love and experience. I have been doing this for almost 2 decades, aka 20 years and as much as I am burnt out and will never recover, I love what I do and it makes it all worth it.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

To be quite straight forward and honest….The flavor bible is probably the best book I have ever bought, didn’t read much of it, but for young cook/bartenders/anyone dealing with flavor profiles, this was the bees knees.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: ramentayosei
• Facebook: ramentayosei
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chefpark/
• Other: Other Instagram accounts; @Darth.Gastrameny @taco.tayosei

Image Credits
The one of me picking up noodles is from @ramen_rob