Phat 12 Island Broiler, which opened in October 2013 after taking over the location of the old Alpenland deli, announced that it has a new chef: Donte King.

Born and raised in Northeast Ohio, King realized his passion for cooking while watching his mom and grandmother prepare delicious meals for family gatherings. This passion led to a dramatic career change from retail to culinary arts. After several years as a sales manager, he was off to “Le Cordon Bleu” Culinary lnstitute of Pennsylvania to start his journey as a professional chef.

Seven years of hard work and dedication led to a rewarding career in some of the elite country clubs and resorts in Phoenix.

With a desire to cultivate his culinary skills even more, King left the big city so that he could have his own kitchen, and implement his own flavor profile: naturally sourced meals made with pure and simple ingredients with intense flavors. He was hired as executive chef of the Fly In Fish Inn in Sitka, Alaska.

“Sitka was a great resource to expand my knowledge of sustainable practices outside my French cuisine background,” he said. “Sitka taught me the true sense of community and I want to return the favor by combining my southern culinary skills and locally sourced ingredients to create mouthwatering dishes.”

Phat12 Island Broiler is located at 2707 78th Ave. SE.