Bryan Slaven Cooking Classes, Catering, Wild Game Dinners & Recipes - Texas Gourmet Recipies by Spicy Food Chef

Hi, I’m Bryan Slaven. I’m an outdoors, hunting and fishing kind of guy that enjoys cooking. Be it grilling steaks, shrimp, fish or wild game, or creating savory soups, or innovative and delicious salads with homemade dressings.

I love entertaining and teaching people how to bring their meal from the field or stream directly to their table.

I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I grew up with golf clubs or fishing poles in my hands from as far back as I can remember (maybe 4 or 5 years old).

I was exposed to cooking at an early age (maybe 6 or 7). My mother prepared many different types of dishes – all from scratch. My father enjoyed grilling big thick-cut ribeye steaks -a Sunday tradition at our house.

I grew up fishing fresh water ponds for bass, catfish and sunfish. I started learning about fishing with lures and about wildlife conservation. I began fly fishing at 11 years old in fresh water-love to coax a fish into hitting a dry fly –explosive!

I was also inspired by Ninfa Laurenzo to incorporate chiles into my cooking. The original Ninfa’s restaurant is a Houston Tex-Mex tradition located around the corner from our family owned business. At the age of 14, I began preparing my own homemade salsas.

We had a foreman at our family business for many years. He was an avid hunter and fisherman who loved to cook as well. From him I learned several techniques in smoking and meat preservation. He inspired me to perfect these processes and incorporate this knowledge into all aspects of wild game. He was an offshore and bay fisherman and really got me hooked on the thrill and excitement of catching speckled trout and reds, as well as the occasional trip to the Buccaneer Rigs or the Flower Gardens for snapper, Kingfish or Ling.

While attending college at SHSU in Huntsville I was exposed to country living, gardening, cooking and of course hunting. Once I harvested my first deer I caught the fever. I lived in a small town called Dodge, Texas in an old 100 + year old farmhouse with a tin roof that was surrounded by mature Pecan trees. It was here that I learned to make pecan pie and to hunt deer, dove, and squirrel. I observed early in my hunting experience that many hunters never learn how to properly care for their harvest to make it the best it can be. I wanted to know how to properly take care of and prepare my game.

I prepared many “gamey flavored” meals before understanding where I was going wrong. I began studying about wild game preparation and the food science behind the types of game harvested. In the early ‘80s I began making salsas and jellies. By the ‘90s I was marketing them and doing shows around southern Texas. I began entertaining at ranches, hunting lodges, and homes providing a unique culinary experience by combining an educational setting while preparing innovative flavorful delicacies. This really inspired me to further my studies into smoking meats and preservation techniques. I began producing sugar cured pork tenderloins and marketing them to friends and customers.

I’ve enjoyed participating at food and wine shows throughout Texas and Louisiana. I have also had the opportunity to host cooking demonstrations and classes on several types of cuisines. I love teaching people how to prepare dishes in a manner they can understand and practice in their own home.

A few years ago, a hunting and fishing friend of mine named Jim Olive, approached me about putting my cooking skills and knowledge where it could be viewed and appreciated by fellow enthusiasts around Texas. Jim has photographed several covers for Texas Fish and Game over the years and has introduced me to Ardia and Roy Neves from Texas Fish & Game. We talked, I submitted a sample article and the rest is history. I have been writing the “Texas Tasted” column now for about three years. I love interacting with the readers and bringing information that I have attained to those that want to learn and use it.

As a wild game chef I have had the opportunity to visit some of the finest hunting lodges in Texas and Louisiana and prepare gourmet meals in beautiful kitchens. I have had a chance to see places that without my cooking skills, I would not have had the good fortune to be there. It has given me the opportunity to meet some interesting people and see several varieties of game. It has also brought me to understand the true meaning of conservation, so those that come after us will be able to enjoy the same quality of fish and game that I have had the opportunity to experience. You could say that cooking has opened many doors for me.

Texas Gourmet products and recipes are currently being used by discerning restaurant chefs throughout the United States. Call us today at 888-234-7883 to find out how you can order our products for your location.

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