A Minneapolis native, Alan started working in kitchens when he was in high school, squeezing cooking shifts between classes and time spent in the woods hunting and foraging. After graduating, he sought experiences outside Minnesota, shortly landing a position at The French Laundry. There he found the professionalism and respect for cooking that still resonates with him today. After just shy of three years, he moved to Nashville to work as a sous chef at The Catbird Seat, an intimate restaurant that quickly immersed him in providing a full hospitality experience. Eventually he moved back to Minneapolis to open Grand Cafe in 2017 before joining the team at Demi, where he merges classic French technique and global ingredients with the wild foods of his Minnesota youth. He still spends much of his time outdoors, led by his dog, Wayne.