Aki Kamozawa & H. Alexander Talbot

Chefs, writers, photographers, partners, and husband and wife, Ideas in Food is the creation of H. Alexander Talbot and Aki Kamozawa

Aki Kamozawa and H. Alexander Talbot are the chef-owners of Ideas in Food, LLC, a consulting business based in New York City. They specialize in sharing techniques for creativity in professional and home kitchens using modern ingredients and techniques. Aki and Alex may also be found at their blog Ideas in Food (www.ideasinfood.com) and at Popular Science online (www.popsci.com), where they write a bi-weekly column entitled Kitchen Alchemy. They are available for private workshops and customized catering. Aki and Alex contributed an essay to the anthology Food and Philosophy, which was published in November, 2007.

Alex and Aki met in Boston, in the kitchen at Clio under Chef Ken Oringer. They moved back to New York together to establish their catering business Amuse Bouche. When their clientele left the city in the summertime, so did they. They spent two seasons as Chef and Pastry Chef, working at La Cucina, in Edgartown, MA on Martha's Vineyard. In 2003 they moved to Maine and became the Chefs at the Bradley Inn, in New Harbor. Aki and Alex then moved Colorado to become the Co-Executive Chefs and Directors of Operations at Keyah Grande. After four years in the mountains it was time to return East to pursue their new culinary horizons.

The partnership between Aki and Alex has always been the foundation of their culinary philosophy. Aki is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute while Alex has a BA in English from Colby College. The different and complementary approaches to food, wine, and service has allowed them to provide an innovative dining experience in a welcoming environment; their menus reflect shared inspirations and a respect for the needs of their diners.

Aki and Alex are deeply committed to using sustainable, organic and artisanal food products. The chefs devote the utmost care to obtaining quality ingredients and cultivating relationships with their producers. These exacting standards apply to their own handiwork as well. They are constantly experimenting with new techniques and ingredients in order to develop their cuisine, which focuses on clear flavors with simple, yet beautiful presentations.

Aki and Alex exercise their substantial skill in creating meals that combine and balance unique flavors and textures to unforgettable effect. Their approach encompasses the idea that dining out should be a comprehensive experience. No detail is too small to have an impact on the diner. With that in mind they have educated themselves in all aspects of service, from greeting guests at the door to pouring wine at the tables and developing and recording dishes and recipes to be analyzed and refined.