Chef Nick Hale – Venice Paparazzi | Venice Beach CA, Photo Agency, Community Info, News, Events

Interview by Venice Paparazzi’s Alex Stowell

Chef Nick Hale is the guy that has taken the Canal Club food into the stratosphere. Let’s take a moment to get to know the man behind the menu.

Hale holds an audio engineering degree, was a battle rapper years back, loves heavy metal, and is pursuing a second degree in biology. The self professed geek has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge that works well in his chosen profession of cooking. Molecular gastronomy is his latest field of study.

Born is San Diego, Nick is the oldest of 5 and started cooking as a kid to feed his younger siblings while his mom was at a waitressing job. At 15 Hale started working in restaurants and eventually went to culinary school in Vegas. Inheriting his love for raw fish from his Hawaiian father, Nick worked his way through the ranks and became a decorated sushi chef. The Canal Club is a perfect fit for Hale. They have a superb sushi bar and a wood grill that gives Nick the room for experimentation that his creativity needs in order to thrive. Nick cites Japanese and Italian food as the biggest influences into his personal style of cooking, and hopes to some day win one of the coveted James Beard culinary awards.

Chef Nick Hale CanalClubVenice.com

When he is not working, Chef Nick likes hitting the skate parks with his brother, going to Kings games with his girl, watching Metalocalypse and reading up on food sciences latest technology.

I asked Nick if he had a particular mantra or philosophy that rings true for him, and he smiled and said, “keep on keeping on.”

If you haven’t had a chance to check to our Nick’s new menu at the Canal Club, you should. Get on down there and order up the Hamachi, Pepper Seared Salmon or the Peking Chicken. They are all fantastic.