A love for cooking and learning different cuisines
Slater is a Dayton native who grew up on the west side. His father was in the military and his mother worked at the VA. When he graduated from Jefferson High School in 1987 he didn’t really know what he wanted to do.
“When I was in high school I never thought about being a chef,” Slater said. “People just automatically think I knew how to cook. I did not know how to cook.”
He recalled cooking something one time and somebody telling him that they would pay for his food and that’s when a “lightbulb” went off. Slater attended The Culinary Institute of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After completing the four year program, he graduated in 1992.
He returned to Dayton to open his own kitchen at a friend’s VFW and then worked for different companies like the Garcia Company, who opened up restaurants such as Don Pablo’s. Slater started traveling and teaching people how to cook southwestern food. After becoming bored and wanting to find some stability in his life, he ended up moving to Florida.
“Either I’m going to move to New York or Florida and I flipped a coin until it came out Florida,” Slater said.
He worked all over Florida with his favorite restaurants being The Lighthouse and Stumps Supper Club in Tampa. Stumps was located near several ports where people got off of cruise ships, so he learned pretty quickly how to cook under pressure.
Slater worked in several other states, such as Georgia and South Carolina, before returning to Dayton about two years ago.
Changing his lifestyle
“Throughout all that, of course, I was drinking and smoking weed and getting high because that’s what you did as a chef,” Slater said. “That was the lifestyle.”
When Slater was cooking, it was the only time he wasn’t using drugs because cooking gave him another type of “high.” He said he kept moving, so people didn’t know that he was using.
Slater is now 56 and said when he moved back to Dayton he knew he needed to make a change. He had called a referral place for help and ended up being accepted into a program at Emerge Recovery & Trade Initiative. Today, he’s 11 months clean.
When he was living on site he said someone else was cooking for their household, but when the man became sick, they asked Slater to take over. Next thing he knew, he was helping Shaun Craig, the former owner of Arise Cafe, build his catering program.
“They made me feel very at home here,” Slater said.
What to expect at Arise Cafe
At Arise Cafe, customers can expect gourmet American comfort food featuring burgers, wraps, soups and salads. The cafe also serves breakfast, as well as daily specials.
“Everything I cook, I cook with love,” Slater said. “Everything I cook, I cook with all my soul.”
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Slater enjoys fusing together southwestern food with French cuisine and adding a southern touch to it. This can be reflected in the many specials he features throughout the week. Last week, he offered cinnamon waffles with the customer’s choice of three chicken wings or tenders for $14.
Other specials he has offered include a Hawaiian burger, deep fried burritos, a pork tenderloin with spicy honey mustard glaze and a fried tomato sandwich.
Customer favorites on the menu include omelets and biscuits and gravy for breakfast or the wraps for lunch.
Slater has plans to release a new menu at the end of January feature more of a gourmet sandwich shop vibe with many rotating specials. He’s excited to introduce new bread offerings such as ciabatta and focaccia.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Warming hearts with food
When asked what his favorite part of cooking is, he said it’s the “creativity” he can have in the kitchen and the “instant gratitude” he receives from his customers.
Slater’s advice for aspiring chefs is what someone told him almost 30 years ago.
“Somebody’s got to be first, somebody’s got to be last and everybody isn’t going to like everything you make, but don’t let that throw you off. Just keep pushing forward,” Slater said.
When Slater’s not at Arise Cafe, you can most likely find him at a local church cooking. If he’s not cooking, he said he’s probably talking about cooking.
Outside of the kitchen, he is a movie buff who enjoys hanging out with his daughter. He also likes trying “mom and pop” restaurants in the Dayton region. His favorite restaurant is CULTURE by Chef Dane.
“I love helping people. I love cooking for people. I love warming their hearts with food,” Slater said.
MORE DETAILS
Arise Cafe is located at 2960 W. Enon Road on the campus of Emerge Recovery & Trade Initiative. The restaurant is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday.
For more information, visit thearisecafe.com or the restaurant’s Facebook page (@thearisecafe).
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
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