Location: Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Business: AlCor Foods
Position: Chef / Owner
Cuisine focus: Artisan sausage making and butchery for restaurants
Notable award: Alcor Foods is the first USDA-inspected artisanal meat and poultry plant in Puerto Rico
Pedro Alvarez is the owner of AlCor Foods Inc., an artisanal meat & poultry processing plant in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. During his time in Italy, Alvarez met butcher and sausage maker Edi Cancelli in the small town of Credaro, in the city of Bergamo, Italy. Through work with Cancelli, Alvarez came to learn the art of slaughter, the traditional way of making sausage and salumi, and how to utilize the whole animal in cooking. Alvarez returned to Puerto Rico in 2007 with the intention of opening his own restaurant, but when he met Chef Jose Enrique of the eponymous Jose Enrique restaurant in Santurce, Puerto Rico, the two collaborated on Jose’s restaurants for five years. Alvarez not only gained a friendship, but he also gained a deeper knowledge of his roots and the meat industry on the island. In 2011, guided by all of his experiences both in Puerto Rico and abroad, Alvarez and his three brothers opened AlCor Foods Inc. As the first USDA-inspected artisanal meat and poultry plant on the island, AlCor specializes in traditional Puerto Rican longaniza sausage and custom-made sausage products. They service top restaurants, chefs and luxury hotels all over the island.
1. What’s your regular comfort meal?
Bacalao con Vianda.
2. Tell us about one Kitchen Disaster story.
The time I lit Tacchella’s restaurant chimney on fire during lunch service.
3. Do you have any kitchen battle scars?
My left hand is a book full of stories.
4. If your last day was tomorrow, what would be your last meal?
Pig’s feet and chickpea stew with white rice, tostones, and avocado.
5. What is and who makes your favorite knife?
A simple 6 inch tramontina boning knife.
6. Finish this sentence:
If I wasn’t a chef, I would be a pilot because is has been my childhood dream.
7. After a long work day, what do you do to decompress?
A 2 minute walk…to the bar.
8. What do you wish you had more time to do?
Diving.
9. Besides cooking, do you have any other talents.
Eating.
10. What is your culinary “best case” scenario?
Having a garden behind the kitchen.
Learn more about Chef Pedro Alvarez on his Chef’s Roll profile here.
Chef Pedro Alvarez will be participating at Puetro Rico Meets NYC in October. Learn more about the event by clicking on the image below.
