Meet Anthony Alexander | Chef Anthony Deandre Alexander Sr.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony Alexander and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My passion has always been preparing food for others enjoyment. Growing up I watched my mother Terri Elaine Alexander purchase food, seperate and store food, season and prepare food and it always came out delicious. My grandmother Louise Washington was a chef and watching her sit in a chair in front of the refrigerator gathering food or picking fresh vegetables from her garden and turn those items into a gourmet spread was amazing. Now Romalia “Aunt Rose” Jenkins was the family gatherer and every holiday, birthday and special event was mainly at her home or you saw her at the helm of delicious and loving preparation of enthralling down home cuisine. So Growing up I had that foundation plus my Uncle Sonny’s BBQ, Uncle Joe’s Louisiana dishes…it was just a plethora of food is love love is food all around me. I had many gatherings at my home or parks and I always heard “You need to open a restaurant!” From my creations i.e. Stuffed Chicken Wings, Blueberry BBQ Sauce, Lamb Chops w/Pomegranate Molasses and to my sought after CÎROC Amaretto Vodka Sauce it was kismet to offer those dishes to the public and with assistance from my Aunt and namesake Angela Deanne Harris, motivation from my sister Tia Alexander-Henson and backup by my wife Robyne Denise Alexander to attend Le Cordon Bleu of Atlanta finishing Alpha Kappa Honor Student wouldn’t have been possible. Thinking of all those people in my life and the love and support from them made it only inevitable that I start a Personal and Private catering company to serve people during momentous and unforgettable occasions and have my food made from love be a backdrop of their moments with me How’boutThat! Chef.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The delicate manner in which I prepare any culinary arts dish is done in a way where flavors develop from the natural aura of the dish itself. I can use as little as 3 ingredients to make a protein dance in your mouth. I use aromatics to bring nature’s flavor to a starch and any vegetables deep sweetness can be pulled out by my tender care of oil and freshly ground spices of my own creation. No one I know, have seen or come across can compare. The proudest and most exciting moments as a chef came during my 3 year tenure at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, GA where I had the please to prepare culinary delights for and meet & see Tiger Woods, Condoleezza Rice, Jerry Rice, Kris Carter, Bo Jackson, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson. Those were amazing experiences I’ll never forget. Reaching current goals have been about setting them and I learned that early on in life from men who were about their business and family plus exuded responsibility and success. My Uncle Reverend Dr. Douglas Banks helped me to understand bond and be a man of your word. My cousins Tori L. Martin and Milton Jenkins provided me with the visual of work ethic, be on your grind and those tools grew inside of me through rough and tough experiences. There was an opportunity for me in the military and I took and aced the ASVAB entry test and entered the United States Air Force becoming and Element Leader in our Honor Flight and obtaining the highest GPA among all students in my MOS while stationed at Lowry AFB in Aurora, CO. During my enlistment I was brutally stabbed in the back 3 times while trying to prevent an altercation between one of my team members and a member of the Air National Guard over a girl. Nonetheless 8 days later after exploratory surgery and 3 stints of flatlining on the surgery table I was released to my base from Fitsimmons Army Hospital with a bottle of saline solution and gauze to clean and dress my wounds on my back. This taught me resilience and determination and dependence on others is not a quality I desired to ever have. There are more challenges I had to overcome but you’ll have read that in my upcoming Chefography Cookbook in the works (SHOUTOUT!!) Let’s just say that challenge gave me the appreciation of a metal fork. I’ve been blessed to survive unlike, dangerous complicated situations and the biggest lessons most of the time come from drastic occurrences and through those I learned humility, appreciation, determination, responsibility and NO ONE can stop me from doing anything I desire except myself or God when it’s my time! Since being in the background I’ve focused on healing mentally, physically and spiritually. You have to love and care for you before you can do that for anyone else. My brand in the Culinary Arts and life now is about passion, Creative genius and autonomy meaning ANYTHING is possible (Kevin Garnett) but you have to believe that wholeheartedly. I’m a creative and my work is top tier comparable to no one and you can literally ask around if anyone has ever tasted food like mine – that’s not possible!! Ha! I grew up being a statistic and unfortunately obliged that moniker but with love, support and guidance I’m still here mentoring and living and loving the life I’ve been blessed with also there is so much more to come from How’boutThat! Chef

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If it was my Brother Carlos Wallace coming into town on a Friday morning first person I’m hitting up is @wizzsta2r on IG for the setups at Rose Bar ATL on Piedmont for Friday evening then section booked at Revel on Ellsworth for Saturday night. Sunday morning with the fam included going to Atlanta Breakfast Club on Auburn Ave then hit the Aquarium downtown. We Gotta hit Magic City on Forsyth St for those wings and an amazing display of core strength. By now I’ve reached out to @bonitasings to find out which venue she’s headlining on Thursday so we get front row tickets. Tuesday is rest up prep a meal family visit time so I’ll have the Deep fried Cajun Lobster Tails on display with Tomahawk Ribeyes grilled to perfection drizzled w/White Truffle Glaze and Rosemary Garlic Smashed Potatoes to enjoy the evening topped off with Red Repasado by Lobos1707 Tequila. After the show that Bonita would lay out with her new release “So High” off the Kept Kissing Frogs project we’d reach out to @atlhookahking to hit 1942 Social then All In Sports Lounge on Mt. Zion Pkwy getting grown with some Maduro’s off the www.redroomcigars.com sight from the owner of RedRoom Cigar Lounge Courtney. I believe that’s a week to have in the A!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I believe I mentioned a plethora of individuals that our the foundation of my Culinary journey but individuals who have been amazing catapults in this unfinished story are my children who motivates me to keep a focus – Tony Jr., Dionte, Jayla, Ada’Ya and Ja’Niah without them who is it really for. Now Hanz Fequier the individual who purchased my first LLC. gave me the business acumen to get marketing under my belt, promoting as a tool to advance and stay relevant. Dr. Renaldo “Tony” Polk one of my first major clients and the source of 85% of my current clients spanning back 14 years ago, business partner and friend I owe him gratitude and some dollars but mostly he’s got my ever dying friendship. Supporting companies have been Blue Flame, CÎROC, Pronghorn, Lobos1707 and the blazing supporter behind all of them is one Dia Simms. She is a motivation and an inspiration to me in a way thats unexplainable. The constant willingness to back me in events, special occasions and more is mind-blowing and I send thanks and blessings to this incredible Icon of a wwoman.TST Studios a Comcast Network run by an amazing group of people Boukahn, Dornell, Anthony Pines and Robert May have been pivotal in enhancing my brand with photo shoots, logo creation, interviews by Bonita Jalane and Shay McCray who are kicking ass in the entertainment industry and still great clients and friends. Gymnetics and Ector Studios have a special place in my steps into an industry full of awe and desire…Ellen Ector, Robert Ector, Lana Ector and Leah Taylor helped me develop menu creation and development including vegetarian and vegan recipes for stars of Atlanta Housewives plus more and their foothold in the entertainment, fitness and health world is beyond reproach. Todat Karma Sewell-Carpenter of Karma’s Dance Factory keeps me focused and grounded on the task at hand and growth in every aspect of my life thank you Cuzzo. First ever paying customer to get the furnace lit was Arby cousin to my best friend and brother Carlos Wallace. Without Carlos having my back and being the biggest proponent in gassing me up about my food, everything except Pork, and bringing any and everybody to try my dishes especially my cheesy wings I don’t think I would be where I am confident wise today…thank you Hoommeebbwwooyyy! Now the most High and Savior to my soul I thank Him in all endeavors and goals set and reached Lord thank you for blessing me in this fulfilling journey good and bad I need it to appreciate the simplest things like a metal fork…I pray Amen – How’boutThat!

Website: http://cheftonyalexander.wixsite.com/howboutthatchef

Instagram: @howboutthatchef_atl

Youtube: @chefalexander334

Image Credits
Karma Sewell-Carpenter Chef Anthony D Alexander Sr.