This is part three of Stacy Anderson's Chef's Choice profile of Jason Tilford of Milagro Modern Mexican. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Tilford, is published here.

Stacy Anderson

​A big part of chef Jason Tilford's history as a chef and his current work at Milagro Modern Mexican (20 Allen Avenue, Webster Groves; 314-962-4300) is bringing the freshest and most authentic ingredients to his customers. The key to some of his best dishes is that they're often just as healthy as they are tasty. This is what inspired his ceviche; it's something he's not only proud to serve his customers, but himself and his family as well.

Tilford's son Julian watches with wide eyes as Tilford marinates the tuna and dices an avocado with the swiftness and skill of someone who's done this a few times before. Tilford works dutifully to layer the ceviche in the ring mold, and carefully laid strips of jicama (a Mexican root vegetable) atop the fresh fish and salsa. Served with fresh tortilla or plantain chips and a margarita on the rocks, this dish is the perfect example of the lighter side of Mexican fare that chef Tilford hopes to bring to those who visit Milagro.

And when Julian was asked whether he liked ceviche? He simply gave a sheepish grin and a nod.

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This is part two of Stacy Anderson's Chef's Choice profile of Jason Tilford of Milagro Modern Mexican. Part one can be found here. Part three, a recipe from Johnson, is published here.

Stacy Anderson

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Did your family cook when you were a child? My mother cooked every night. She was a great cook and still is. Every get-together to this day focuses around a pretty intense night of family cooking.

How old were you when you started cooking? Seventeen.

First cooking job? Grilling steaks right out of high school.

Did you attend culinary school or college? Yes, I went to Forest Park in the early '90s.

What do you eat? I usually try to eat healthy: Mediterranean diet, well-balanced small meals.

What do you cook at home? When there's time, the kids and I have a weekend tradition of cooking brunch and watching EPL soccer.

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This is part one of Stacy Anderson's Chef's Choice profile of Jason Tilford of Milagro Modern Mexican. Part two, a Q&A, will be published tomorrow, and part three, a recipe from Tilford, will be available on Thursday.

Stacy Anderson

​Upon first meeting, chef Jason Tilford is a man of few words. He answers questions about his life and career in St. Louis succinctly and to the point with a genuine splash of modesty. However, walk into his kitchen at Milagro Modern Mexican (20 Allen Avenue, Webster Groves; 314-962-4300) and it's a different story, one he's more than happy to tell if his hands are busy with fresh Mexican ingredients and a great idea for lunch.

Tilford moved around a lot growing up, but he never missed a meal made by his mother. He knew that he felt at home in the kitchen but was truly hooked after settling in St. Louis in the early '90s. In his time here, he's consulted for a variety of restaurants, including EdgeWild Restaurant and Winery, Mile 277 Tap and Grill, Kota Wood Fire Grill, Barrister's and Tortillaria, to name a few. However, it was in April of 2010 that he helped open a restaurant that worked to redefine what St. Louis thought of Mexican food.

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This is part three of Mabel Suen's Chef's Choice profile of Mike Warhover of Baileys' Range. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Warhover, is published here.

Mabel Suen

Smoked onion rings with housemade chipotle catsup at Baileys' Range.

Chef Mike Warhover's approach to "simple food done right" takes classic American fare like burgers, french fries and onion rings to a whole new level with deliberate, effective flavor accompaniments. His recipe for smoked onion rings with chipotle catsup features many levels of subtly complex infusions. It starts with stove-top-smoked onions and a surefire beer batter and ends with golden rings fried to perfection served with a spiced catsup that would make its generic grocery-store counterpart shudder to the back shelves in shame.

Attempt Warhover's approach in your own kitchen and proclaim yourself a deep-fried- victual master! Perhaps the title of condiment king or queen would better suit your kitchen victory.

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This is part two of Mabel Suen's Chef's Choice profile of Mike Warhover of Baileys' Range. Part one can be found here. Part three, a recipe from Warhover, will be published tomorrow.

Mabel Suen

Head chef Mike Warhover in the Baileys' Range kitchen.

​Did your family cook when you were a child? Yes. My mom cooked all the time, and that's where I found my love for food and cooking.

How old were you when you started cooking? I was always in the kitchen with my mom as a kid, but I began cooking professionally in my early 20s.

First cooking job? Catering Plus was the first cooking job I took seriously.

Did you attend culinary school or college? I did for a little bit but didn't finish.

What do you eat? Usually burgers because I'm at work. I don't go out very often because I have a new baby, but I like trying new places.

What do you cook at home? I really like to barbecue when I'm at home. I'm just a big fan of simple food done right.

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This is part one of Mabel Suen's Chef's Choice profile of Mike Warhover of Baileys' Range. Part two, a Q&A, will be published tomorrow, and part three, a recipe from Warhover, will be available on Thursday.

Mabel Suen

Head chef Mike Warhover of Baileys' Range.

​Mike Warhover has firmly grounded St. Louis roots, and his humble experience as a line cook in several area kitchens over the past twelve years has led him to the head of the kitchen at restaurateur Dave Bailey's latest venture, Baileys' Range (920 Olive Street; 314-241-8121), which opened last October. More >>

This is part two of Natalie Mclaury's Chef's Choice profile of Wes Johnson of Salt. Part one can be found here. Part three, a recipe from Johnson, is published here.

Savannah Dodd

​Did your family cook when you were a child? Mostly my father.

How old were you when you started cooking? 10.

First cooking job? Waffle House.

Did you attend culinary school or college? Ozarks Tech Community College/Apprenticeship at Highland Springs Country Club.

What do you eat? Lots of Pork.

What do you cook at home? Don't very often.

What are your three favorite restaurants in St. Louis (besides your own!)? Bogarts, Carl's Deli, Dressel's.

​The local chef who most impresses you? Josh [Galliano] at Monarch.

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This is part one of Natalie McLaury's Chef's Choice profile of Wes Johnson of Salt. Part two, a Q&A, is published here, and part three, a recipe from Johnson, can be found here.

Savannah Dodd

​The culinary career of Wes Johnson of Salt (4356 Lindell Boulevard; 314-932-5787) has run the gamut from catering gigs to a post as a Waffle House cook to an apprenticeship at Highland Springs Country Club in Springfield, where he was allowed ample freedom to experiment and his culinary style began to take root.

After years of catering and restaurant jobs that took him as far afield as Seattle, his friend Ted Kilgore, mixologist at Monarch and then Taste, convinced Johnson to re-enter the culinary scene in St. Louis. Johnson made the move and has since built a lengthy résumé with stints at the Scottish Arms, the Shaved Duck and Eclipse.

Last April, he stepped out on his own, opening Salt in the ornate Central West End space formerly occupied by Savor.

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This is part three of Stephen Fairbanks' Chef's Choice profile of Cassy Vires of Home Wine Kitchen. Part one can be found here. Part two, a Q&A with Vires, is published here.

Stephen Fairbanks

Crustless Buttermilk pie with lemon creme anglaise and lemon zest.

​Cassy Vires, chef-owner of Home Wine Kitchen (7322 Manchester Road, Maplewood; 314-802-7676), spent summers at her grandmother's home in Chattanooga, and even today there's a strong Southern influence on her cooking style.

When asked to prepare a dish of her choosing for Gut Check, she selected Crustless Buttermilk Pie. "It's a Southern dessert," she explained. "Something you just kind of whip up on a Sunday morning. It's easy and quick to make." She adds, "I tell St. Louis people it's like the gooey layer of gooey butter cake."

Vires serves the pie sliced into a four-inch square, garnishing the plate with lemon crème anglaise and shaving some lemon zest onto the pie itself. The resulting flavor profile is predictable, but no less delicious for it. The pie itself is rich with butter and milkfat, with a hint of vanilla sweetness.

Most important, Vires notes, "It's idiot-proof!"

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This is part two of Stephen Fairbanks' Chef's Choice profile of Cassy Vires of Home Wine Kitchen. Part one can be found here. Part three, a recipe from Vires, is here.

Jennifer Silverberg

Chef/owner Cassy Vires in the cheese case.

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Did your family cook when you were a child? Not unless you consider Hamburger Helper "cooking."

How old were you when you started cooking? Very young.

First cooking job? A catering company in my hometown. I got to peel carrots with the best of them.

Did you attend culinary school or college? Yes. The Art Institute [of Houston].

What do you eat? Whatever is quick and easy.

What do you cook at home? I sleep at my house. That's about it.

What are your three favorite restaurants in St. Louis (besides your own!)? Brasserie, Sidney Street and Sanctuaria.

​The local chef who most impresses you? Gerard Craft. The man is building an empire.

Your favorite restaurant elsewhere? RBistro in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Your favorite food city? NYC.

Favorite recent food find? Veal bacon.

Most essential ingredient in your kitchen? Number one, salt. Most people would think I would say fat, but that is number two.

Favorite local food find, and where do you get it? Anything from Salume Beddu. Those guys know what they are doing.

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