Meet the Chef: Alex Sze of Juniper

Chef Alex Sze's parents owned a Chinese-food, take-out business in New Haven, Connecticut. His mother ran the kitchen and his father was in charge of "the front of the house." But Sze didn't work a day in his parents' business while growing up. Mom wouldn't permit it. 

He was 10 when his sister left for college and wasn't around to prepare snacks or occasional meals any more. Out of necessity, he developed a modest interest in food preparation and by age 12, he was a fan of Great Chefs, Great Cities and other television food shows. He occasionally tried a recipe from TV but was more interested in bike riding and running and as he grew a little older - in tennis, hiking and kayaking.

He attended Hamden High School, located in a suburb of New Haven, and received a bachelor of science degree from the University of Connecticut in 2004; his major was biology. Unsure about biology as a career path, he decided to take a year off to check on other possibilities including food. Sze moved to Washington, D.C. and visited top restaurants looking for an entry-level job.

After several unsuccessful attempts to gain employment, he stopped by Citronelle just as an opening surfaced for a pastry chef helper. Celebrity chef/owner Michel Richard interviewed him and Sze walked out with the job despite not having had an appointment or even bringing a resume. During the next three years he moved from station to station - advancing from vegetable garnish to meat roast and eventually to fish.

After a year of working evenings at Citronelle, he secured a second job - a daytime "prep" position at  Maestro in the Ritz-Carlton at Tysons Corner, Virginia. (By coincidence, Maestro was replaced at the Ritz-Carlton this year by Michel, a new French cuisine restaurant created by Michel Richard.)

Sze feels the combined experience he gained at Citronelle and Maestro was "equivalent to a culinary school education with a few gaps."

In 2008, he was ready to try his luck in New York City. He interviewed with chef Jason Neroni assembling a staff for the October opening of 10 Downing Food and Wine, and this time he brought a resume. Neroni who had trained under legendary chef Alain Ducasse in Monaco and Paris, hired Sze as sous chef.

Juniper has an open kitchen

Sze began looking for a location for his own restaurant in 2009 and in driving through Hastings noticed the space that had been vacated by Sushi Express on Warburton Avenue. It took about three months to ready the premises and the 27-year-old entrepreneur/chef  opened Juniper in January, 2010.

Juniper has an open kitchen at the back of the dining area. The restaurant is small and patrons can view the chef and his crew in action from any table.

Lunch favorites include a gruyere burger, an eggplant sandwich, a chicken salad sandwich with provolone cheese and red cabbage slaw, and a turkey, swiss cheese and avocado sandwich. A grilled cheddar cheese sandwich is accompanied by soft, sweet and juicy peach. Salads include watermelon-goat cheese with pistachio and Bibb lettuce with hard-boiled egg. All lunch sandwiches and salads cost $9. Add French fries for $3.

Dinner starters at Juniper include a seasonal chilled corn soup ($9) and eggplant Agnolotti which combines Taleggio, figs, tomato confit and Applewood smoked bacon ($12).

The most popular main courses at Juniper, Sze said, are wild salmon ($25), pork chop ($22), brisket burger ($15) and "Chicken  Two Ways," which includes chicken sausage, crispy confit leg that has been very slowly cooked in duck fat, cannelini beans, pearl onions and tomato confit ($22). A 28-day, dry-aged, 10-ounce sirloin steak with potatoes, green beans and smoked onion puree costs $29.

Daily specials are  offered but mainly as appetizers or side dishes and not as entrees.

There is no story behind the restaurant name. "My sister-in-law suggested it," said Sze, "and it had a nice ring."

Sze and sous chef Jaime Young are working on a fall menu for introduction in late September. At Juniper, the menu changes every two months. "The fall menu in an early stage of preparation and all that is certain right now is that it will include brussel sprouts and apples." Sze said with a grin.

Juniper is located at 575 Warburton Avenue, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706. It is open on Tuesday and Wednesday from 11a.m. to 3:30 p.m. only (no dinner hours). On Thursday and Friday it is open from 11a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and again from 6 to 9 p.m. On Saturday it is open from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and again from 6 to 9 pm. Brunch is available on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. www.juniperhastings.com. 914-478-2542.