Chef's skill has roots in Italy and Mexico

The restaurant business transcends nationality. Thus it is that Rick Bayless, the Chicago area's most famous Mexican chef, is a gringo from Oklahoma, and Italian-food specialist, Alejandro Perez, who opened Il Tartufo Bianco in Wauconda in February, was born in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico.

Perez, 30, began his culinary career in high school, working at Deerfield's Bakery in Deerfield. His early career included Wildfire in Lincolnshire, Tuscany in Wheeling and Bob Chinn's Crab House in Wheeling, all before earning a culinary degree at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago. More recently, he cooked at Follia in Chicago.

An American Culinary Federation silver medalist, Perez runs his restaurant with help from his parents, Alejandro and Ludy; sister, Guadalupe and brother, Ivan.

What made you become a chef? My parents owned a family restaurant in Mexico, where I first started to work as a teenager. I helped out in the dinner area picking up dishes from the tables, washing them and cleaning the restaurant. As time passed, I gained cooking experience in the kitchen. At that time, I told my dad that I wanted to be a chef.

What brought you to the United States? My parents decided to come to Illinois in 1989. We lived in Illinois for four years. I attended Holmes Middle School and Wheeling High School. My first job was at Deerfield's Bakery where I was a baker. I worked there for almost two years. My parents then decided to go back to Mexico. While I was finishing up high school in Mexico, I went to work at a French restaurant, Pour La France. I worked there for two years. I started as a pastry chef and was then promoted to a sous chef.

Then I decided to come back to the U.S. by myself. You get used to it here. And I had a girlfriend.

Why an Italian restaurant? I began my focus in Italian gastronomy. After working at many different Italian restaurants, I learned to speak fluent Italian. It helped me communicate with my co-workers. I have some friends who live in Italy and they invited me to Italy to gain more knowledge in Italian cooking and learn more about their culture.

While I was there, I researched traditional and typical dishes. I was lucky to meet the best chefs from Italy, such as Ciccio Sultano from Sicily. I had the opportunity to meet chef and restaurateur Gualtiero Marchesi. I also worked with a friend in Lombardy and in Sicily.

When I returned from my cooking adventures in Italy, I decided to pursue my dream in opening my own restaurant. I brought back with me many cooking ideas and some typical traditional cooking books that are difficult to locate in the U.S.

I've been working for Italian restaurants for nine years. If I can make it work for somebody else, I can do it on my own. My parents decided to come back from Mexico and help. They've closed their restaurant there. Also my sister - she's a culinarian - and my brother. Sometimes my wife, Vicky, helps, but she has her own job. It's just family working in the restaurant.

What have been some of your challenges? I decided to do my cooking more regional Italian. But people come here and they expect to see chicken parmesan and chicken Vesuvio (a dish invented in Chicago). A lot of people come here and they say, "Oh, you don't have spaghetti and meatballs." Or they want "marinara sauce." In Italy, marinara is a seafood sauce. Over here, it's a chunky tomato sauce. People are used to that.

Getting the loan to open was challenging. It's really hard to get credit from a bank.

And the economy. I've lowered my prices twice already. People use to go out two to three times a week. Now they go out once.

What's your culinary philosophy? Keep it simple and fresh. Because Italian cuisine is really simple. For a restaurant, we refine it a little with French techniques, which make it more upscale.

Also, you have to have the passion to do it. I don't mind working all day in the restaurant, because that's what I love to do. I grew up in the restaurant business, so I'm used to this life.

What do you like to cook with? I use a lot of olive oil. Black truffles and white truffles, when I can get them at reasonable prices. Duck and game.

We make all our fresh pastas. We try to make it fresh every day. People can taste the difference right away.

What are your future goals? I would like to receive my Certified Executive Chef title, continue my education and receive the Certified Master Chef title from the American Culinary Federation. That's going to take some time. There aren't that many Masters in the world. After you get to that level, people aren't going to pay more for a plate of pasta. It's just for your own satisfaction. I also want to continue participating in cooking competitions, publish my own cooking book, and compete with the "Iron Chefs"!

What do you do in your spare time? I used to do Korean martial arts, hapkido. Now I don't have enough time. I just practice at home. I stay home with the kids when I can. I have an aquarium with saltwater fish. And I like to read a lot, especially cooking books.

Tell us about this dish. Tilapia in Crosta di Patate. I won first place with this dish in a Jewel Food Stores cooking competition. Make sure the potatoes aren't cut too thick or it will take longer to cook.

Try this at home or at Il Tartufo Bianco, 201 S. Main St., Wauconda. (847) 469-8684 or iltartufobianco.com.

• To recommend a chef to be profiled, write to food@dailyhearld.com.

Tilapia in Crosta di Patate - Potato-crusted Tilapia

2 tablespoons butter

1 shallot, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon white wine

1 cup vegetable broth

1 cup whipping cream

Salt and ground white pepper to taste

1 potato, peeled and very thinly sliced

½ tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 sprig fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 sprig sage, finely chopped

¼ cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon paprika

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds tilapia fillets, rinsed and patted dry

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Pour half into a medium bowl and set aside.

Stir the shallot and saffron into butter in the sauce pan; cook 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly until well incorporated. Add the white wine; cook 1 minute, then add the broth and cream. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potato slices and boil 1 minute. Drain and add them to an ice-water bath.

Mix the herbs, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, paprika and reserved melted butter.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Season the fish with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over high heat, add the fish, skin-side down. Sear the fish, turn and sear the other side. Remove from the heat and arrange the potato slices over the fish, overlapping slightly, like scales. Sprinkle with the crumb mixture. Place in the oven until the crumb mixture browns, about 10 minutes.

Spoon sauce onto plates; top with fillets.

Serves six to eight.

Chef Alejandro Perez, Il Tartufo Bianco, Wauconda