Alex Espitia-Casallas

Alex Espitia-Casallas began cooking professionally at a small hometown bistro in Reno, Nevada. During his tenure there, he received an informal yet thorough education on classical French country cooking, from properly-made stocks and salad dressings to sauce making and whole animal butchery. Afterward, he spent a few years bouncing around various Italian restaurants, along the way developing a passion for pizza, and specifically for working with dough. This shift led Alex to transition into becoming a baker, coinciding with a move to New York City. Living in Brooklyn, he spent the last three years learning the nuances of laminated pastry dough, discovering what makes a great chocolate chip cookie, and becoming intimately familiar with the smell of yeast.

Aside from his life in the kitchen, Alex has also fostered a budding career as a writer and editor. You can find his work published in Out of Office, Eaten Magazine, The Objective, Simply Recipes, and others. When he's not cooking or writing, Alex and his partner Julian take care of their puppy; a Pug-Chihuahua mix named Chef, go for long walks, and binge trash TV.

Best piece of cooking advice: "Turn the heat down."