From the look of the freshly polished bar and flat-screen
televisions, Glory Days Sports Pub in Morgan Hill has the ambiance
of a typical high-end sports joint. But behind the kitchen doors,
executive chef Alex Jara is cooking more than chili burgers and
fries.
From the look of the freshly polished bar and flat-screen televisions, Glory Days Sports Pub in Morgan Hill has the ambiance of a typical high-end sports joint. But behind the kitchen doors, executive chef Alex Jara is cooking more than chili burgers and fries.
With a background that includes cooking at Pebble Beach, Spanish Bay and Shadowbrook restaurant in Capitola, Jara has brought his love for fine dining to Glory Days. The restaurant’s recipes are original and the food is fresh, he said.
“I enjoy bringing the flavors out in food. I only work with the best meat and fresh vegetables,” Jara said.
Working his way up to the title of executive chef took hard labor and a “must-know” attitude, Jara said.
“I started out at 10 years old washing dishes and then worked my way up the line,” he said. “I was always very nosy. I wanted to know how to do things.”
Jara, 30, has the training to bake beautiful pastries and carve swans out of ice, but he says his favorite part of cooking takes place at the grill.
Along with making his own sauces and dressings for flavor, Jara also pays keen attention to detail, and the art of food presentation is evident when dishes arrive at a patron’s plate. Whether it’s roasting the tomatoes in the steak salad or arranging Thai beef sticks into a pyramid, Jara says everything that leaves his kitchen must look picture perfect.
“Presentation is the most important part of cooking, because just by looking at something you’ve already taken a bite out of it,” he said. “And if someone takes the time to make something look good, then you know they put the time into giving it a good flavor.”
When he’s not busy in the kitchen, Jara often takes breaks to come out and chat with customers and see how they’re enjoying his creations.
“I just love getting a reaction from people who have enjoyed their food,” the Morgan Hill resident said. “There is just something about it.”
Although Jara said he loves everything on Glory Days’ menu, his current favorite is the apricot-glazed salmon, served with shrimp fritters and bacon-wrapped filet mignon.
“There are so many flavors seared into the salmon. It’s just delicious,” he said.
Debra Creighton, the owner of Glory Days, originally hired Jara as a consultant. She says customers are always sending their compliments to the chef.
“We have a lot of people who come back and order the same thing,” she said. “He just does a wonderful job.”
Glory Days is located at 17230 Monterey Road in downtown Morgan Hill. Take-out orders are available by calling (408) 779-3376.
