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Tony Alcazar, formerly co-owner of The Bottle Room, has returned to Whittier as the owner/chef of Crooked Gaff Kitchen. Located on the corner of Penn and Bright streets in the Uptown Whittier area, CGK is known for their fresh selection of oysters, craft beers, wine and “cocktails”.

Chef Alcazar’s broad culinary background has taught him that cooking is all about the effort that goes into creating a great dish. His approach towards CGK’s modern American style menu is simple: fresh ingredients, familiar dishes, and no shortcuts. Tony is all about keeping the food fun and properly paired with their incredible line- up of craft beer and wines. His creative menu changes with the season, or when inspiration strikes, but one thing remains constant – the friendly service and his commitment to the Whittier community in which he and his family live.

Formally starting his culinary career in 1998, Chef Alcazar graduated from the California School of Culinary Arts, Le Cordon Bleu, in Pasadena. Since then, he has polished his culinary abilities by working in several prominent restaurants: Congregation Ale House (Corporate Chef), The Bottle Room (10 years) , Mako in Beverly Hills, the Patina Group’s Downtown L.A. restaurant Nick & Stef’s, and most notably the Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton Pasadena (now The Langham). It was at the Ritz-Carlton for six years that Tony had the privilege of working along side and learning from Craig Strong, one of the few Michelin Star rated chefs in the Los Angeles area. Under Chef Strong, Tony describes learning a “Modern American” cooking style based on classical training and prepared using contemporary techniques with a blend of fresh international products.

Crooked Gaff Kitchen is open Mondays – Thursdays from 5-9 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 5–10 p.m., and Sundays 4-8pm. Visit them on Instagram (@cgk_2.0) and Facebook (@crookedgaff) for updates on menu items, new craft beers and special events.