Humble beginnings. Perhaps that best describes the start of Alan Wilkinson’s culinary career.
“I never went to culinary school,” said Wilkinson. “I went right out of high school to the Waffle House, that was my culinary school,” he said with a laugh.
Today, Wilkinson is a long way from flipping eggs and making waffles. The 30-year-old is the executive chef at the prestigious Pierre’s Restaurant and neighboring Morada Bay in Islamorada.
“It’s a fantastic story; it truly is,” gushed Wilkinson’s older brother Mike. “It shows what can be accomplished through hard work and dedication to your craft. He epitomizes that.”
Like his younger brother, Mike Wilkinson has made a name for himself in the hospitality and restaurant industry. In August, he was promoted to assistant general manager at the Lorelei Restaurant and Cabana Bar.
The Wilkinson brothers both graduated from Coral Shores High School and both landed in the restaurant business, even though many people thought they were destined to go into law enforcement, following in the footsteps of their father and grandfather.
“We are the case of the apple falling far from the tree,” Mike said. “The Wilkinson family has been in law enforcement since the ’50s in the Keys,” he added.
“The police and law enforcement route wasn’t for us. We started working in kitchens making money where we could,” added Chef Alan.
Alan landed his first restaurant gig at the Waffle House in Fort Myers when he was an 18-year-old attending Edison State College, now known as Florida Southwestern State College. Six months into the job, his boss pulled him aside and said if he didn’t step up his game, he would get canned. He wasn’t about to let that happen.
“I’m not going to fail, this is not happening, I’m not going to get fired from Waffle House,” recalled Alan.
He completed one year at the community college but, with money getting tight, decided to drop out and pursue a culinary career full-time. He worked two restaurant jobs at a time for the next four years. The grueling hours paid off.
“In those four years I felt like I got eight years of experience,” recalled Alan.
Eventually he moved back to the Keys and took a job at Snappers, then moved on to become a line cook at Morada Bay and then the Conch House.
Feeling stagnant in his career, Alan moved to Miami and started working under Norman Van Aken and later alongside Michelin-trained chef Miguel Massens. The experience with Massens was a turning point; everything just clicked.
“Up until that point cooking was just a job for me,” said Alan. “I found out that once you believe in the food that you’re cooking and the team that you’re working with and the culture and the restaurant you represent, that is when it’s not a job any more.”
After returning to the Keys again in 2020, Alan started working as a chef at Cheeca Lodge and Spa. In 2021, he was promoted to executive chef at Pierre’s and Morada Bay. Northwood Hospitality owns the resort and restaurants.
“I used to be a line cook here. It was always a goal of mine to come back to this specific property and be the chef,” said Alan. “I definitely pinch myself and I don’t think it’s true sometimes.”
At Pierre’s and Morada Bay, Alan prides himself on serving up high-quality and organic dishes, with many of the ingredients sourced locally. One signature dish is dry-aged prime-grade steak.
Mike Wilkinson also cut his teeth in the restaurant business after graduating from Coral Shores High School, starting as a waiter at Sundowners in 2008.
He went on to manage Capri Restaurant in Homestead and then Shuckers Waterfront Bar and Grill in North Bay Village near Miami before returning to the Keys to work at Snappers.
In 2018, he hopped over to the Lorelei, taking a job as a waiter and also working in the establishment’s gift shop.
“My motto is if you can do everything on the property and be the most valuable person you’ll always have job security,” said Mike. “The more you know the better off you are.”
He now helps oversee a staff of 93 in his role as assistant general manager.
The Wilkinson brothers credit their successes to the strong support systems in their lives.
Mike Wilkinson says his faith and involvement in Island Community Church has grounded him and is instrumental in his accomplishments.
“My blessings have come tenfold since I’ve actively been immersed in my church and in the community,” explained Mike. He also praises the family-oriented Lorelei for promoting a crucial work-life balance to its employees.
Alan believes a lot of his achievements are the result of having a super-supportive better half. He met his wife, Jessica, 10 years ago while working at Snappers. They now have a 2-year-old son.
“She always believed I would go from a Waffle House cook to an executive chef and has always been there for me,” said Alan.
