Chef Allan GazawayCEC, CAA

One of Chef Allan Gazaway's first feasts was not a celebration, but a necessity. When he was a child, a series of tornadoes tore through his northern Alabama town, knocking out power to his entire neighborhood for a week. This left them with quickly thawing food, and no way to cook it. The solution would make our caveman ancestors proud: neighbors pooled their ingredients, dug a pit, and Chef Allan and a friend cooked three meals a day for the neighborhood. He was hooked, learning what fulfills him to this day: making people happy through food.

Today, he specializes in Cajun and Creole cooking, and continues to be passionate about projects to bring food to power companies responding to disasters, including Hurricanes Katrina, George, and Michael. For Allan, it’s a labor of love. “It took me years to understand how blessed I was to actually do what I love as a profession. Very few people get to do that. At the end of the day, it shows up on your plate!”

Chef Allan Gazaway chopping up peppers in the kitchen

More About This Chef

Favorite Food

Any and all fresh seafood

Favorite Minor’s® Product

Toss-up between Minor’s® Herb de Provence Flavor Concentrate, Au Jus Prep, Classical Reductions, and Culinary Cream!

Geographic Region

AR, MS, AL, LA, GA, FL

Education/Training

Johnson & Wales & Culinary Inst of America- Secondary Classes

Second Generation Chef, Father was a chef at Waldorf Astoria, New York, NY

Brennans and Commander's Palace, New Orleans, LA-- apprentice

Major Achievements/Awards

Chef of the Year, American Culinary Federation, Birmingham, AL

Presidential Award, American Culinary Federation

American Academy of Chefs

Certified Executive Chef

Work History

  • Commanders Palace, New Orleans, LA
  • Brennan’s, New Orleans, LA
  • Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL
  • Tango Restaurant, Birmingham, AL
  • Personal owner and/or partner of 8 Restaurants in Birmingham, AL, and the Caribbean