Alexander’s Steakhouse, a Silicon Valley / San Francisco Bay Area restaurant icon, is migrating south to the beautiful city of Pasadena. The restaurant group proudly announces the appointment of Chef Matt Bata as executive chef of the new location.

Chef Bata started his culinary journey a bit later in life. He studied accounting for two years before an option to relocate to Las Vegas opened up, compelling him to move in a different direction. He enrolled in the Culinary Arts Program at Le Cordon Bleu, Las Vegas, combining two of his favorite passions; art and food. While studying at Le Cordon Bleu, one of his instructors provided him the opportunity to work in the bakery at Treasure Island Hotel and Casino under some very talented bakers and pastry chefs. The opening of a new, high-profile restaurant, Social House, and a few fortuitous conversations with their pastry chef, Ralph Perrazzo gave Matt his start as a prep cook under head chef Joseph Elevado (Andrea’s Wynn Las Vegas) and Ben Dayag of Nobu (now Morimoto). He also worked alongside other talented chefs including sushi chef Kouji Yamanashi and then Chef Marc Zimmerman. Under their tutelage, Matt quickly rose up through the ranks of the kitchen and, after 2 years, became sous chef of Social House’s sister restaurant, Company, under their newly appointed executive chef, Marc Zimmerman.

Matt accompanied Chef Zimmerman to San Francisco in 2010 as opening sous chef of Alexander’s Steakhouse SF. He was exposed to the finest ingredients Northern California has to offer and during the next four years he gained a solid understanding of the direction he wanted to go as a chef.

Chef Bata finds inspiration through multiple channels and usually when he least expects it. He refuses to limit himself to a specific cuisine, ingredient or technique, preferring a more “global” approach to cooking. As Chef Bata makes the move south to Pasadena, he looks forward to building relationships with a multitude of companies specializing in providing the best quality ingredients from local farms and around the world. He will continue to strive for the very best from himself and those around him, to never settle, to always be creative and, most of all, to EAT!

Pastry Chef Gail Romulo will also make the move to the new Pasadena location.

Watching Chef Romulo work her magic in the kitchen, one would assume she has been mastering the art of pastry her entire life but Gail entered the workforce in a completely different field. She earned her Associates Degree in Computer Information Systems and spent three years working in computer technology before discovering her true passion. She says, “I realized that I was the only one in my family who was fascinated with food and cooking so I decided to apply to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.”

Before and during her training at the CIA, Gail worked at several NYC restaurants including Chinatown Brasserie in NOHO and Lever House, restauranteur Josh Pickard‘s stylish. Sophisticated midtown eatery nominated as “Best New Restaurant” by the James Beard Foundation. She then moved on to work for James Beard award-winning pastry chef Richard Leach at Park Avenue.

Gail graduated with a Bachelors Degree of Professional Studies in Pastry Arts Management in 2010 and took her first job as pastry sous chef to Chef Joseph Gabriel at The Pluckemin Inn in Bedminster, New Jersey. Here Gail continued to develop her pastry and leadership techniques, finding both essential to achieving success in the restaurant industry.

Gail joined the Alexander’s Steakhouse family in San Francisco in 2013 as head pastry chef. Her modern pastry creations were a beautiful compliment to Chef Marc Zimmerman‘s savory fare, constantly changing with the season to feature the finest local ingredients.

Alexander’s Steakhouse Pasadena has a dry-aging room to feature 28 days dry-aged certified Angus beef from the mid-west as well as a large selection of imported Wagyu beef from Japan and Australia. You can’t go wrong with the T-bone, Cab Prime Rib, and the Japanese A5 steak selection, of course. Don’t forget to order the side of pan seared Foie Gras or Bone Marrow with your steak.

They also feature exquisite seafood and vegetarian dishes that foodie would love. For seafood, try the Passmore Ranch trout, butter poached lobster, hamachi, tuna or crab legs; for vegetarians try the salad, grilled vegetables, sautéed seasonal veggies, or the simple Mac & Cheese, you will be delighted.

They also serve food with a focus on sustainable seafood and local, seasonal produce. A full bar with premium liquors, hand-crafted cocktails, in-house preserved ingredients, attention to details, and is managed by Bar Manage Erik Lund (formerly Rivera, Messhall Kitchen, Republique). If you’re a cocktail evangelist, trust me, he will blow your mind with some of the best cocktails in town, hands down.

If you are a wine lover like me, check out the extensive, eclectic wine list hand-selected by and the Sommelier/Wine Director Andy Brady (he used to be at Alexander’s Steakhouse San Francisco). From old world wines Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Barolo to new world wines Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Napa Valley Cab, they have it all. If you got the dough to spend a few grand on a bottle in style, no problem. If you don’t want a bottle, by the glass is plenty and approachable for all.

INTERVIEW WITH ALEXANDER’S STEAKHOUSE PASADENA AND EXECUTIVE CHEF MATT BATA

DLM: We know that you offer the best Japanese & American steaks selection in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, can you tell us about what will you offer in Pasadena location?

AP: Alexander’s Steakhouse has built their reputation on serving the highest quality Japanese and American beef available. We intend to continue this trend in our Pasadena location. We will focus on being “beef forward” in every aspect of the menu.

DLM: Can you tell us about the chefs and the team in Pasadena?

AP: Chef Bata and his core support staff have migrated south from our San Francisco location. We are filling out the rest of our team with wonderfully experienced local professionals.

DLM: Chef, what is your vision for Alexander’s Steakhouse Pasadena? What’s your background?

Chef Matt Bata:” We want to offer our guests the opportunity to savor some of the tastiest ingredients in the world. I am constantly interested in trying new proteins and special ingredients. The goal is to prepare dishes focusing on usually 1 or 2 ingredients and turning those ingredients into multiple forms and textures while leaving them as bold as we can. For example, if we put a carrot salad on the menu, our vision will be to make it taste like the best tasting carrot we have ever tasted, while trying to do the humble carrot justice. ” Says Chef Bata, “I am committed to providing our guests a chance to savor some of the most sumptuous food the world has to offer. My goal is to prepare dishes that focus on one or two amazing ingredients, drawing from them multiple forms and textures while keeping them as bold and fresh as nature intended.”

DLM: How do you compare with other steakhouses in LA area? What makes you different? And what can you bring to LA community?

AP: We will be offering a 7-9 course tasting menu with every course having a component of beef, sometimes being the star of the show and sometimes having a subtlety that lets other ingredients shine. We will also be utilizing our wood burning Infierno 64 grill to impart a unique flavor on many items. In addition to focusing on the tastiest beef we can source, we will also have multiple options to satisfy every palate on any particular visit.

DSL: We heard that AS Group also planning to open other locations in LA, and expanding to Taipei and Shanghai?

AP: Alexander’s Steakhouse looks forward to future growth and expansion! We are opening a few more locations in Asia. Please stay tuned for details!

Alexander’s Steakhouse Pasadena
Restaurant Address: 111 N. Los Robles Ave Pasadena, CA 91101
Instagram: @AlexandersPasadena
Twitter: @AshPasadena1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexanderssteakhousepasadena 

About Alexander’s Steakhouse

Alexander’s Steakhouse Group currently owns and operates three restaurants and a patisserie in prime locations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Their flagship restaurant, award-winning Alexander’s Steakhouse Silicon Valley in Cupertino, CA, opened its doors in 2005 providing a fine dining interpretation of the classic American steakhouse with an Asian influence. Alexander’s Steakhouse San Francisco brought the “twist on the American steakhouse” concept to the SOMA neighborhood in 2010. All steakhouses utilize a dry-aging room to feature 28 days dry-aged certified Angus beef from the mid-west as well as a large selection of imported Wagyu beef. They also feature exquisite seafood and vegetarian indulgences. The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse came to fruition in Palo Alto, CA in 2012 with a focus on sustainable seafood and local, seasonal produce. All restaurants offer a full bar with premium liquors and specialty cocktails as well as an extensive, eclectic wine list hand-selected by an in-house sommelier.  Alexander’s Patisserie, a traditional European style bakery featuring pastries, fresh breads, and sweet treats, opened in downtown Mt. View, CA (Silicon Valley) in the fall of 2014 to immediate acclaim.

Each location is captained by its own executive chef and all menus are created around extraordinary, high-end ingredients and designed to take guests on an unparalleled food adventure.

Alexander’s Steakhouse Silicon Valley was recently named “Best Restaurant for Culinary Excellence” and “Best Steakhouse” for the fourth consecutive year by Metro Silicon Valley. For more information on Alexander’s Steakhouse, please visit www.alexanderssteakhouse.com. Like us on Facebook or follow on Twitter @AlexandersCuper, @AlexandersSF, @AshPasadena1, @TheSeabyAsh, @APbyASH1