Chef Alan Lazar was born and raised in the New York City area. His family owned and operated very large Kosher Butcher stores in Brooklyn, Queens and upstate New York. Chef Lazar worked in these shops after school, holidays, and summer breaks. In 1971 he graduated from Monticello High school and 1975 graduated Monmouth University in New Jersey. He attended a Butchers apprentice program during the last 2 years of high school and continued to work in Butchers shops/ school cafeterias during his college career. Chef Lazar’s grandfather owned the number 1 kosher butcher shop in Queens, New York and he had many uncles or family members who owned others in the area. After graduating college, Chef Lazar traveled the United States and worked in several Butchers shops in Los Angeles (Lucky Supermarkets, Fairfax Kosher Meats) and then Hollywood, Florida( Penn Dutch Meats, Westland Meats). In 1979, he became the manager for a Meat-Chicken and Seafood property called Maryland Chicken Farms. Sales at this property doubled while he was the manager In 1984, he left Maryland Chicken Farms and started to work for many different Supermarkets: * Albertsons (earned a Cornell Certificate in Meat Operations) * Woolleys Supermatkets in Boca Raton * Piggly Wiggly, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida * Star of David, Deerfield, Florida * Grand Union * Winn Dixie, Margate Florida * Sureway Supermarkets, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida * Whole Foods in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida In 1994, He was hired by Johnson & Wales University in North Miami, Florida to teach the Skills of Meatcutting classes at the University. He was sent up to Providence , Rhode Island to be trained to teach the classes in North Miami, (while training at the school he participated in several catering events). He returned to North Miami and has been there ever since. In 1997, he joined the Greater Miami Chapter of the American Culinary Federation and ha participated in many school and outside functions. During breaks and summertime, Chef Lazar worked in the following venues * Doris Italian Meat markets, plantation, Florida * Bavarian Village (German restauarnts) * Genos Butcher shops * USDA GS 7 Certification Speicalist for Miami (3 years) * Breakers Hotel (50 Hours program in the Butcher and Seafood department) * Darden Restauarants, Capital Grille (on call specialist during season) During breaks in school and summer time times off, Chef Lazar has participated in the following adventure in the food industry. * 2 Super Bowls working at the Dolphins stadium for Levy retaurants * 2002 ACF Southeast regional registration chairman. * 2002 ACF Greater Miami Chef of the Year * 2003 Faculty Vollrath Award * Seafood Shrimp Contest (1999-2000) * 2008-Executive Chef for Medolark Camps in Maine (2 years) * Have worked for many catering firms when I am off from work. * ACF Student Chapter Advisor since 2000 * 2013 Advisor of the Year for Johnson & Wales University In 2002, Chef Lazar earned his Certified Culinary Educator from the American Culinary Fedration. In 2009 he earned his Aproved Culinary Evaluator form the ACF and has been on several ships form Royal Caribbean Cuisine Line. In 2013, Chef Lazar was selected as the Advisor of the year. In 2010, Chef Lazar has completed his class from the Cattlemens Association for his Masters in Beef Advercy (MBA). Chef Lazar has traveled to many areas in the world. This past summer, his wife and him traveled to the mediterrenia and will be going to china this year after their middle daughter (she is a Dentist) gets married. He also has a son who is a Doctor and a younger Daughter who has her MBA. Chef Lazar has been enrolled in the Masters of Education / Adult education and expects to graduate later this year with is degree. He continues to teach at Johnson & Wales University in the skills of meatcutting class, Storeroom Operations, Sanitation and other programs.
