John Alers was born at Camp Pendleton to two Marines, and his first plan was to follow them into the service as a musician in the military band. When that didn’t pan out, he enrolled at the California School of Culinary Arts, figuring a kitchen career would be hard work, but would keep him employable for life.
He wasn’t wrong. Alers spent more than 20 years in Las Vegas, helping open Holsteins at The Cosmopolitan and later running the kitchens at LAVO and Luchini Italian Restaurant for Tao Group Hospitality. Now he’s the executive chef at Charlie Palmer Steak at the Grand Sierra Resort, and he and his wife are exploring Reno/Tahoe with their 3-year-old son, John, who gets his first snowboarding lessons this winter.
Off the clock, Alers is a lifelong car guy, and he’ll happily about talk engines or food for hours.
Learn more at www.charliepalmersteak.com/reno-home.
What’s the best thing you’ve eaten locally in the last month?
It is actually a food truck rather than a brick-and-mortar restaurant, specifically Barrio Burgers. The owner, Erick (Cruz-Lopez), brings a serious culinary background to the grill, and his incredible attention to detail shows that he takes absolutely no shortcuts. By using high-quality (fresh ground) beef and the highest-caliber ingredients, he crafts the perfect smash burger. If you haven’t experienced Barrio Burgers yet, it absolutely needs to be your next stop.
Your kitchen is on fire—metaphorically! What are you cooking?
That would have to be our in-house-made hamburger, available exclusively during happy hour. We take the trimmings from our American and Japanese Wagyu, blend in a little dry-aged trim, and shape them into our signature hamburger patties. Known as the Infinity Burger, it features a house-made brioche bun, 12 ounces of Wagyu patty, tomato jam, bourbon-caramelized onions, white cheddar, foie gras and a truffle chive aioli. We serve it up alongside a side of house-crafted French fries.
Who is/was your strongest culinary influence?
Anthony Bourdain has been my strongest culinary influence from the very beginning. The raw, unfiltered truth of the industry that he showcased through his shows and books—capturing both the intense lifestyle and the beautiful chaos of the kitchen—is exactly what inspired me to venture deeper into the culinary world.
What is your go-to midnight snack?
After a long day, chips and fresh salsa with just the right kick always make the perfect snack.
Which local restaurant deserves more attention and why?
Cucina Lupo deserves a bigger spotlight. What they’re doing in downtown Carson City is real cooking—everything from scratch, technique you can taste in every bite. It eats like a high-end Italian kitchen in a major city, but it still feels like the neighborhood’s place. That’s a hard balance to pull off, and they pull it off well.
How does food contribute to our community?
Reno isn’t an easy place to grow things, but food has a way of anchoring us to this high-desert dirt. For the waves of transplant locals moving to the Truckee Meadows, plugging into the food scene—whether that is buying a box from a local urban farm or pitching in at a neighborhood soup kitchen—is how strangers actually become neighbors. From backyard greenhouses to grassroots mutual aid networks, the way we eat out here is what builds our community from the ground up.
What is the one thing you won’t eat?
Celery. It reminds me of cheap dental floss that breaks and gets stuck in your teeth.
Please share your favorite food memory from growing up.
Growing up, nothing beat the anticipation of my grandfather’s barbecue chicken. It was a special treat you could smell from a block away. The real magic started a day early—he had a secret marination routine that he kept strictly to himself, never letting anyone sneak a peek. When it was finally time for the finishing touches, he would smother the chicken in sauce and let it rest in a warm oven. Every time I impatiently asked if it was ready, he’d smile and say, “Good things take time, and this is one of those dishes that needs its moment.” Let me tell you, the wait was always worth it!
What is the one kitchen tool you can’t live without?
A high-quality, razor-sharp chef’s knife. It is the heart of all kitchen prep. From breaking down large primal cuts of meat to precise vegetable work, a dependable and perfectly balanced blade makes the entire cooking process fluid, efficient and intentional.
What has been your most memorable meal?
Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal. Chef Martin Picard takes premium ingredients and turns them into rustic, over-the-top food, and duck is my favorite, so I was in heaven. I started with a flight of foie gras, then ordered the famous Canard en Conserve—duck in a can. The server opens the tin tableside and pours it onto your plate: duck breast, a big slab of foie gras, braised cabbage, bacon and roasted garlic in a venison balsamic demi-glace, over toasted brioche and celeriac purée. It sounds like a gimmick, but it isn’t. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.