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Kevin Olomon
Kevin Olomon
Alaskan Chef w/ Mid-Western Roots
Fairbanks, Alaska/Bloomington, Illinois, IL (United States)
Joined February 25, 2010
Professional Chef
Active Chef, 168 CookEatShare points

About me

Cooking has always been among my passions; now I hope to embark on a new one- writing about it! After years at country clubs and hotels in my native Illinois- I most recently just ended 13 years of cooking at wilderness lodges and remote-site, fly-in oil camps in Alaska. So salmon, wild game, fiddleheads, and wild berries are fresh on my lips!

My interests outside of the kitchen include: music/drama, design/architecture, the arts, collecting, flea-markets & junk-shops, travel, pets and family.

Cooking Influences

Like most of us, my Mom was my first and best influence; she was a simple country cook who prepared food that wasn't fancy- but it was delicious! Mom's formica kitchen table was always bountiful and over-flowing w/ fried chicken, catfish, pork-chops, meatloaf, all the usual sides- and spelndid, delectable sweets. Her meringue pies were sugary delicasies that were lofty enough to almost reach the sky! And her cakes and cookies kept me pudgy and satisfied, and developed in me a craving for flavor and richness that has so far lasted my entire lifetime.

Later as my cooking repetoire and enjoyment developed, I began to adventure between the covers of cookbooks for further learning. Throughout the span of my personal development and career, my cooking influences have included: Julia Child, James Beard, Edna Lewis, Lee Bailey, Martha Stewart, Ina Garten, Christopher Idone, Patricia Quintana, Lidia Bastianich, Michael Chiarello, and many more...

And my list of most favorite cookbooks ever, ranges from Thomas Keller's "The French Laundry Cookbook" to Ernest Mickler's campy cult classic "White Trash Cooking"!

Comments

  • Lynne
    Lynne
    Kevin, taking my first trip to Alaska. What a good restaurant in Fairbanks and Homer. These are tour free days. This has been on my bucket list since age 10 and now 60 years later I am on my way.
    • Linda Gourley
      Linda Gourley
      Kevin, thank you for posting the "Bear Signs" recipe to include optional berry forms. I'm trying to incorporate Raspberry Wine into an easy recipe. My plan is to use your base recipe but create a raspberry filling with frozen berries and the raspberry wine. Just wanted to say "Thanks".
      p.s--cruised to Alaska in 2005, plan to return in 2015 for our 15th anniversary. Loved every minute of it including the land excursions.

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