|
Chef Ivan Flowers has created extraordinary cuisine for some of the finest restaurants in Arizona, including T. Cooks at Scottsdale's Royal Palms Resort, the Phoenician's Mary Elaine's and the acclaimed Different Pointe of View.
Flowers' passion for cooking came from his father, who was chef and owner of Rendezvous Restaurant in New York. He learned from his father that a good chef lets the food do the work with respect to flavor and presentation. This lesson has guided Flowers' career, earning him and the restaurants he has led an abundance of accolades and awards. This lesson has also made Chef Flowers an accomplished and sought-out teacher to aspiring chefs from around the world.
In mid-December at the Gallery on Oak Creek, Flowers will debut an inventive, sophisticated yet approachable tasting menu at dinner, with simple and delicious breakfast and lunch offerings. Though his food is influenced from countries around the world, he combines a love for French and Italian cuisine with a passion for Mediterranean – what he likes to call "global fusion". Flowers prides himself on offering a healthy yet diverse menu, featuring organic products whenever possible with vegetables and herbs from a soon-to-be-finished Chef's Garden. The menu will change to capture the best of each season, allowing Chef Flowers to creatively blend inspiration with the finest ingredients available.
From 2001 to 2007, Flowers served as Executive Chef at Different Pointe of View in Phoenix, where his distinct menu earned praise from food critics around the world. Here, Flowers' "teaching kitchen" became regarded as one of the most coveted places for up-and-coming chefs to develop their skills and discover their own style.
Prior to this role, Flowers was the lead instructor and chef of L'Ecole restaurant at the highly-respected Le Cordon Bleu Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Scottsdale. As chef and instructor, Flowers was responsible for educating an ongoing class of 30 students in classical French cuisine. In addition, he handled all restaurant operations including menu development, budgeting, forecasting and catering. During his tenure, L’Ecole received its highest Zagat® rating.
Flowers’ culinary experience also includes serving as chef de cuisine at T. Cooks at the Royal Palms, where he contributed to the attainment of the restaurant’s fourth Mobile star, and as sous chef at the Phoenician’s Mary Elaine’s, where he trained in a five-star setting with two James Beard award-winning chefs.
Flowers received his A.O.S. degree in culinary arts and restaurant management from Le Cordon Bleu Scottsdale Culinary Institute in 1997. While attending Scottsdale Culinary Institute, he was a sous chef at ASU's University Club, as well as a sous chef at Scottsdale Center for the Arts. In addition to his culinary education, Flowers holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the New York Institute of Technology.
|
