Chef Alex A. Daku

Through hard work and dedication over the years, Executive Chef Alex A. Daku has experienced all facets of life in the professional kitchen. The man at the helm of the Le Jardin kitchen has been bringing quality French dining west of the Hudson River for nearly a decade. His menus extend beyond the territories of traditional cuisine and incorporate continental influences to appeal to the tastes of a broader reception.

Alex’s passion for cooking first emerged during adolescence. His earliest lessons in the culinary arts came when working in a busy restaurant owned and operated by his family. It was there that he learned the foundations of a strong, successful kitchen which compelled him to make skillful food preparation a lifelong pursuit.

At age seventeen, Alex pursued a culinary education in Torino, in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy, studying Mediterreanean and classic French disciplines. He worked his way through various European kitchens, honing his craft and learning new techniques while carrying a full course load. Before arrival at Le Jardin, he cooked at a number of fine dining establishments in New York City such as Union Square’s Tech Villa and Midtown West’s CPS before landing at Brownstones in West Paterson.

Alex is known for his innovative and personal take on classic cuisine. A self-proclaimed gastronome, he believes in incorporating the flavors and techniques from different cooking philosophies into innovative interpretations. He describes his cooking style as a fusion of French and transcontinental cuisine utilizing classic and avant-garde disciplines of cooking. He is inspired by quality and freshness of ingredients, and highly values the art of presentation to create dishes that are memorable. He approaches each dish as an opportunity to make a connection with the client and to affect the way they experience food.