By Reginald Williams, Particular to the AFRO
Alon Arrington, proprietor of Alon’s Gaming Kitchen, is a 17-year-old culinary prodigy famous for creating some beautiful cuisines. Signature dishes most desired by his diners are braised and pan-seared lamb chops and rooster alfredo.
“In the case of the meals, I don’t see Chef Alon as a youngster– I see him as knowledgeable,” defined Josh Cribbs, government producer and host of “Cribbs within the CLE: Josh and Maria LIVE.”
“I had the pleasure of him catering meals on the tv studio and on a number of events at my residence for my household,” mentioned Cribbs, a ten-year Nationwide Soccer League veteran. I’m not shy about giving criticism. Nonetheless, to see how keen Chef Alon [is] to go above and past and to proceed to sharpen his abilities provides me goosebumps.”
Alon has cooked for Mayor Edward Kraus of Solon, Ohio, and WOIO 19 Motion Information.
Proudly owning a big restaurant and changing into a recognized chef are the targets that gasoline Alon’s ardour.
“I simply need to grow to be a recognized chef throughout the globe– like Gordon Ramsey and Bobby Flay,” defined Alon. “I simply need to be recognized, however larger.”
Figuring out that proudly owning a restaurant is a few years away, Alon’s short-term plan is to personal a meals truck.
“A meals truck means that you can journey. Being younger and in highschool proper now, I can journey for giant occasions. It’s simply extra handy for me proper now,” defined Alon.
In his spare time, the Cleveland native loves gaming. Impressed by his love for video video games and cooking, Alon married the 2 ideas to create Alon’s Gaming Kitchen.
“I [am] so busy I actually don’t have as a lot time to sit down all the way down to do stuff. However in my free time, I chill, chill out, play video video games or exit with my associates,” Alon defined.
Earlier than marinating in his love for gaming and cooking, Alon had gridiron aspirations. He performed center linebacker for a youth soccer staff, however impressed by his grandmother Sheila and aunt Robin, his love for cooking intercepted his path on the sphere.
“I all the time needed to be a chef since I used to be little, however what acquired me into it was simply seeing my grandma and my auntie cook dinner,” Alon mentioned. “In the course of the pandemic, there was actually nothing to do, so simply [started] cooking.”
In keeping with his mother, April Burt, Alon’s culinary abilities have grown considerably because the onset of the pandemic.
Alon’s mother is his most ardent supporter.
It’s common to listen to the cries of latest entrepreneurs as they categorical frustration concerning the lack of assist from household and supposed associates, however for Alon, this isn’t the case.
“My associates are tremendous supportive. Something that I do, they are going to submit (to social media), however actually, I gotta thank my mother. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know what I’d be doing. She’s helped me with this journey,” Alon advised the AFRO. “She retains selling me–even on days after I’m getting on her nerves– she’s consistently posting and selling my enterprise. I’ve an excellent mother and I respect her for all that she does.
Alon’s mother is equally appreciative of all that he does. She likes to dine on his lamb chops and rooster alfredo, however mother is ecstatic about how her eldest little one conducts himself.
“He’s a really respectful, hard-working, God-fearing younger man,” Burt mentioned. “I’m so proud that his lecturers all the time say that he by no means provides them any issues. He’s all the time respectful and keen to assist others.”
Subsequent faculty yr, Alon will elevate his talent as a pupil within the culinary arts program. In February 2023, Excel TECC Profession and Technical Packages accepted Alon into their program. He’ll start to review within the upcoming faculty yr.
“I don’t know what number of Black children have gone to this program, however after highschool, I need to attend Le Cordon Blue in Paris,” mentioned Alon. “That’s one of many top-tier, finest culinary applications. I’ve by no means seen no Black children point out or say that they need to attend Le Cordon Blue, so I need to be the primary Black child to go there.”
Reginald Williams, the creator of “A Marginalized Voice: Devalued, Dismissed, Disenfranchised & Demonized” writes on Black males and Holistic Well being considerations. Please electronic mail bookreggie@reginaldwilliams.org or go to amvonlinestore.com for extra info.
