Alec Tulio adds a little bit of spice to his life

Do you know Alec Tulio… the cook? Take a moment and imagine walking into Alec’s house and going into the kitchen. You see Alec there grilling up a steak, a filet mignon to be exact. The strong scent of the garlic butter rushes through your nose. You look over and see appetizers on the countertop: cheese, crackers, and an Italian stromboli. You sit down on the high stool, eating the appetizers, waiting and watching Alec cook this steak. The scent of the steak is making you more and more hungry.

Alec Tulio is a well-known senior at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. He plays lacrosse and will continue playing the sport at Drexel University next year. However, what many people do not know about Alec is that he loves to cook.

Alec said his mother inspired him to start cooking. “Coming home and seeing my mom cook these insane dishes brought joy to me.” But Alec’s mother said this started earlier: “Alec first showed signs of this in preschool, when Alec made his own cookbook with his favorite meals.”

Alec said, “being Italian American has influenced my cooking life severely. Italians are very passionate about their food, and food is a part of our Italian lives.” Alec also stated, “I sometimes black out in the kitchen and get lost in what I am cooking. I’ll lose track of time and just try a bunch of new things, such as recipes, spices, seasonings.”

Tucker Delisle, another Springside Chestnut Hill Academy student, commented on Alec’s cooking saying, “he always brings these gourmet lunches to school … I always ask what restaurants he gets them from, and it always turns out that he cooks them the night before.”

Alec said, “my favorite part of cooking is when I cook with my mom and dad … It brings a satisfying feeling to me.” Alec’s mother added, “we have made a tradition of cooking with each other.” “He helps me with dinner preparations, he seasons everything and stirs for me … I love it!”

Alec does see himself “cooking in the future, but not as a career.” He continued, “I don’t want to have that stereotypical saying ‘a woman cooks in the kitchen,’ I want to be the cook in my family …I want to come home from work and cook for my beautiful wife and kids.”

Alec continues to live out his passion of cooking day in and day out. It does not look like this passion he has made for himself is going away anytime soon.