There’s one thing I know about Chef Alon Gontowski, lead pastry chef at The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. He’s a family guy with an immense amount of patience and talent. Spending time in the kitchen with the April 5^th winner of The Food Network’s Sweet Genius was also a whole lot of fun. Chef Alon’s philosophy on his work is simple – be hard rockin’ and non stoppin’ in your work and the rest is well, cake. Chef Alon is ready to make a return appearance of Sweet Genius in a heartbeat; he loved the adapt or lose atmosphere, and the sheer intensity of the whole experience. I was surprised when he told me the show is shot in real time, and there truly are no do-overs. You come into that studio with nothing and must work with what they throw at you. And he also noted that taking on a “chameleon” persona is what makes a winner on the show…and that day that began at 6 am and ended at 12:30 am made him feel like he was back in college!  Speaking of which, that’s pretty close to what his dream is, as a teacher. His patience with me in the kitchen showed that it’s meant to be. Take a look at how we started his special Fire and Ice display piece.

      Battling a bit of humidity in the Hard Rock Kitchen wasn’t too hard on Chef Alon. But he did talk about how difficult it can be to work with sugar, how time and the environment can be your worst enemy when working with pieces even larger than the one he created for Kelly’s Kitchen. But the sheer artistry of what hot sugar syrup and ice can come together as was just beautiful to watch as it came to life. See how it looks!

   I’m looking forward to a return trip, and we’ve already talked about something delicious for the holidays. We might just save your dinner for you this Thanksgiving…stay tuned for more from a very Sweet Genuis, Chef Alon of the Hard Rock, in Kelly’s Kitchen!

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM KELLY’S KITCHEN

“I learned to think outside the box and continue to do so,” – Chef Alon on the “Sweet Genuis” experience.