Chef Dan Drayer has been working as the Corporate Chef at Talk of the Town since 2001. Included in this smorgasbord of eateries are Charley’s Steakhouse, FishBones, Johnnie’s Hideaway, MoonFish, Texas Cattle Company and Vito’s Chophouse.

Chef Dan’s main responsibility is buying fresh protein for five restaurant concepts. That’s a lot of protein. How much, you might wonder? Shrimp purchasing alone is over ninety thousand pounds annually or roughly the equivalent of a large gray, female whale (males are smaller). Whew!

As you can imagine this Chef/Buyer extraordinaire is one busy man. Chef Dan manages his time and talent wisely. He begins most days at 3 a.m. His weekly schedule breaks down something like this: Monday-check inventory and aging. Tuesday-marketing dinner. Wednesday-Chef meetings to discuss challenges and overcome hurdles. Thursday and Friday-he’s hands-on at the various Central Florida Talk of the Town restaurant locations, where he keeps his knives sharp and his fingertips calloused.

What does this native Texan bring to the Orlando, Florida table? Let’s start with his passion for food. He was raised on his Grandparents love for crab and seafood gumbo in the coastal town of Galveston, Texas. He spent his youth traveling with his Grandfather who taught Chef Dan that “Hospitality is…a pile of crabs at the Schooner.” Chef Dan took this advice to heart.

Chef Dan studied Hospitality and Physiology at the University of Texas El Paso in 1980. He attended the Denver Culinary School in 1987 where he graduated with Top Honors. Then he studied at the CIA at Greystone, CA in 1988. Chef Dan sharpened his knives at Palm Orlando and Vegas. He credits his mentors penned “The Old Guard”, Michael Baherby, Jim Daugerty and Joe Amandola for keeping him focused.

Chef Dan avails himself to his talented culinary team, a sure sign of a great boss. He has a quirky sense of humor and an easy-going personality. Of course we weren’t exactly on the line cooking for this interview, but I had the chance to interview others that work with Dan, and they concur with me on these two endearing traits. That being said, Chef Dan couldn’t do his job without a few good men at his side. He tips his hat to the following fine Chefs and managers: Seth Miller, Chris Michael, Jean Claude, Marcus King and Nate Turner.

Here are a few recent highlights of Chef Dan’s non-stop culinary life:

Chef Dan is a member of American Culinary Federation. He got his recertification (CEC) in 2010 and is proud to announce that Talk of the Town was awarded the 2010 Achievement of Excellence Award at the ACF National Convention in Anaheim. Congrats!

February 25, 2011, Chef Dan and Talk of The Town were inducted in the Chaine des Rotisseurs at the Orlando Cordon Blue Culinary Academy. Chaine des Rotisseurs is an international gastronomic society founded in Paris in 1248. It’s the oldest culinary society dedicated to preserving fine dining, wine, cuisine and camaraderie together, according to its web site. Revived in the 1950, it now has members in seventy countries worldwide. Orlando became the 38^th Baillage (chapter) of the Chaine des Rotissuers in 1976.

Chef Dan participates in the annual Lakeland Pigfest BBQ Festival competition. He placed 5th in 2010 for texture in the brisket category. This year he entered the contest with fat-injected Pork Butt, and sorry to say, he wasn’t the only person who loved it, but it didn’t cut the fat with the Big Pigs. (sorry I had to say it)

Dan spends his precious time away from his perpetually busy restaurant life with his wife, Juli Oros Drayer, and their three kids. He enjoys cooking and yep, you guessed it, fishing.

FOOD INDUSTRY CHALLENGE: Finding the time to pass-on my passion.

FAVORITE SEAFOOD:  Tuna tartar tacos with wasabi hummus and crab cakes with lemongrass.

FOOD ITEM(S) YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: EVOO with goat cheese.

FAVORITE CELEBRITY CHEFS: Dean Fearing, Stephan Pyles and Susur Lee.

FOOD TRENDS: Technology, science and teaching flavors & technique. Sustainability with accountability.

DREAM VACATION: Thailand or Vietnam.

SEAFOOD CONCERNS: Oil effects on Gulf seafood.

FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOL: My original 10” Chef Knife from Culinary School and my deep fry taco shell basket.

KITCHEN TIP:  Utilize the whole animal. Let the fish tell you where it wants to go.

Thanks, Chef Dan. Tight lines.

Chef Dan is a local television personality on CBS Channel 10 WTSP in Tampa Bay, where he showcases his culinary expertise and shares cooking recipes and tips. You can Friend Chef Dan Drayer on Facebook, and follow Talk of the Town on Twitter @MoonFishOrlando.