Chef Masters Highlight: Michael Doctulero

Michael Doctulero is the Executive Chef and Owner at Mahjong’s Catering. He is one of the 31 Chefs that participated in the 2018 Chef Masters event benefiting Alzheimer’s Family Center.

1. How did you become a chef?

My grandfather was a chef and I would always help him when he cooked at home. In my family, the men usually did most of the cooking.

2.    Why did you accept to participate in Chef Masters?

It felt right. I try to go by the saying, “helping others is the rent that we pay for being on earth.”

3.    What is your favorite kitchen memory?

Cutting fish in Seattle, a 800lbs of halibut, yelloweye rockfish, salmon, ling cod and steel-head, caught the same day in Sitka, Alaska and shipped to the restaurant.

4.    What is your favorite dish to cook?

Ahi, bluefin, yellow fin or Hawaiian bigeye. So beautiful! They require minimum cooking, just surround them with accented flavors.

5.    Do you have a personal connection to Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia?

None at his time, not within my circle of family or friends. But I know of people who have been impacted.

For more information on the Chef Masters event, please visit www.chefmasters.org

Photo credits: Bob Hodson, Tony Lattimore, and Jen Engleman.