chuy valencia

Hello from Fisherman’s Wharf!

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:04:52 -0600

Hello from Fisherman’s Wharf!

My little niece is now my biggest reason for trucking on....

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:56:45 -0600

My little niece is now my biggest reason for trucking on. I’m one proud uncle, cheers ya’ll!

Alessandra and Uncle Chuy!

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:40:33 -0600

Alessandra and Uncle Chuy!

Greetings from Dolores Park!

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 16:32:46 -0600

Greetings from Dolores Park!

What to do, what to do...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:45:53 -0600

So, I’ve been in quite a pickle over what to do for my young and over-achieving career. Do I go and immerse myself in yet another restaurant that consumes my entire being? Do I risk my creativity by becoming a corporate chef and give up my street credentials? Where can I find a balance? What I miss most is making others happy with my artistry, my food, my expressions. It’s a shame that the only outlets for that involve a complicated infrastructure when all I crave is simplicity.

The only thing to do is to push on… I’ve always kept my head up through the hardest of situations and have dug out diamonds in the rough. Maybe patience is a virtue I have missed. Maybe, just maybe, the biggest opportunity is yet to come into fruition. I’ve never taken this much time off, I just hope the end result proves to be beneficial. I feel empty without the support of a city that has always cradled me. It’s time to get that feeling back… You’ll see.

Chuy

Seed Bank in Petaluma, California. Formerly a Bank of America...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 14:08:53 -0600

Seed Bank in Petaluma, California. Formerly a Bank of America branch, now one of the largest retailers of non-GMO seeds in California.

I love where I’m from; Sonoma County has the best beer,...

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 20:55:33 -0600

I love where I’m from; Sonoma County has the best beer, wine, produce and seafood arguably out of anywhere in the country. Talk about a quadruple threat. #norcal #chefs #love #beer

Gorgeous day in my neck of the woods. On our way to my...

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 14:36:41 -0600

Gorgeous day in my neck of the woods. On our way to my sister’s place to have dinner. #norcal #thanksgiving #sonomacounty

Beautiful piece by Xavier Viramontes at the National Museum of...

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 20:42:50 -0600

Beautiful piece by Xavier Viramontes at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen. Etching circa 2001 that ties in balanced colors, modernism and tradition. Enjoy! Will post more of my favourite pieces and ofrendas tomorrow. Buena noche, homies.

Turkey Hash with some roasted Chilaca chiles, warm cranberry...

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 09:24:43 -0600

Turkey Hash with some roasted Chilaca chiles, warm cranberry sauce, pickled green tomatoes, pumper-nickel toasts and my favorite kind of eggs; over easy in a cast iron skillet. It takes a little more patience to flip eggs in a seasoned cast iron, the end result being eggs that remind me of the little diner I worked in through culinary school. We were taught to leave some of the char from the hamsteaks and hash on the iron griddle, then with some more oil and a hot spatula you break it up and do your eggs to order. When you flip them, they should have some browning, delicious burnt bits of meaty goodness flecked over and a runny yolk. Just like the ones I was raised on but thought nobody else liked, thought it was a fading diner-thing. Peace.

My father and I. His union/company picnic circa 1987. (Taken...

Mon, 14 May 2012 03:07:39 -0500

My father and I. His union/company picnic circa 1987. (Taken with instagram)