For Chef Joseph Kudrak, cooking is his life’s work

Chef Joseph Kudrak said his interest in a culinary career was piqued when he attended a vocational high school while growing up in Connecticut. “I was in the kitchen cooking at a very early age,” Kudrak said. He went on to Paul Smith’s College in Lake Placid, N.Y., after which he worked for Restaurant Associates, including a stint doing food service at the U.S. Open Tennis Championships in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

He came to Las Vegas for a six-month externship at the old Studio Cafe at the MGM Grand in 1996. Ten months in western New York convinced him to return to Las Vegas, where he went to work at Arizona Charlie’s and then opened the Resort at Summerlin (now the JW Marriott Las Vegas). He joined Station Casinos in 2000 and served in various capacities until leaving briefly in 2014. He returned to Station in 2016, and this year was named corporate executive chef.

Review-Journal: Always in your fridge?

Chef Kudrak: I change what I do a lot at home. But I always have some kind of condiments, some Japanese ingredients. Lately a lot of fresh chicken breasts, spinach, kale and cauliflower.

Currently obsessed with?

My health and meal prepping and really watching what I’m putting into my body. Clean eating. I’m on a pretty strict regimen where I’m hitting the gym and exercising, and I feel great about myself. I’m enjoying that.

Newest Las Vegas discovery?

I try not to go to the same restaurant week after week. Everybody’s hot-list item right now — and I’m a big fan as well — is Sparrow + Wolf. (Recently) I tried Momofuku, and I enjoyed that.

Favorite indulgence?

Probably pasta. I’m a sucker for sweets, too.

I never eat …

Passion fruit.

Favorite brunch at home?

One thing I like doing is pancakes — all different kinds, whether I’m making ebelskivers (Danish pancakes), or my favorite is a yeast-risen pancake. Different toppings, different fillings. My daughter loves them, so that’s like our Sunday treat.

Best tip for home cooks?

I’ve become a big fan of sous vide. It gives you the ability to create restaurant-quality results at home without a lot of difficulty, if you can put it in the bag and put some flavor into it and seal it properly. That’s what I do with my chicken. It makes it very simple to get great results.

What are you working on?

I spend a lot of time right now at the Palms. Lucky Penny has been open for 90 days now, and we’re working on a new Italian menu for Nove, with homemade pastas. We added some steaks to the menu there. We’re working on a steakhouse and have the new buffet coming.

Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at Hrinella@reviewjournal.com. Follow @HKRinella on Twitter.