The Ultimate Restaurant Guide
Featured Chef

Personal Background: Grew up in San Antonio Texas. Returns regularly to visit family, especially during deer hunting season. Began cooking at age 16. Came to California four years ago to visit his dad. Liked the area. Found a professional home at Sudwerk in Davis.

Training: On the job rather than formal training. Worked 4 1/2 years in the kitchens of The La Mansion Del Rio Hotel, the first five star hotel in San Antonio. Considered "green" when he first began there but soon learned top notch culinary skills by apprenticing under a number of "incredible" chefs including:

• Scott Nagel: originally from Minnesota, an extremely talented chef who graduated top of his class from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and earned three medals at the Culinary Olympics in Frankfurt Germany.
• Michael Bomburg, Culinary Institute of America graduate, executive chef Plaza San Antonio
• Philip Rice, Culinary Institute of America graduate.
• Steven Lombardi, an artist as well as a chef, Steamer's restaurants in Phoenix.

Favorite type of cooking: Loves to prepare wild game. As a Texan still attached to hot foods and craves good Tex Mex. Sudwerk's main menu has a German flavor, but occasionally Tony prepares some Tex-Mex or Cajun specials. They're great with Sudwerk's famous Hubsch beer.

Food Trends: Lighter, lower fat menus. In Davis a lot of vegetarian customers -- Sudwerk's garden burger is a favorite..

Favorite cookbooks: Louisiana Kitchen by Paul Prudomme. New Professional Chef, 5th addition from The Culinary Institute of America . There is also a new edition of this cookbook which includes a light and healthy addendum.

Tip for the Home Cook: Buy prefab ingredients whenever you can, especially for baking and pastries. They save time, labor, and mess. A wonderful example is frozen puff pastry or pie crust -- "can't beat it!" (particularly for a single guy with a small apartment who hates cleanup!)

Recipe: Red Pepper Soup