Mike Ryan, 32, found his way to Elements in Princeton, New Jersey, by way of stints at Circa and The Ryland Inn, where he met Elements chef-owner Scott Anderson. Anderson opened Elements in 2008, bringing a focus on inventive cuisine and local flavor to Princeton. Ryan has spent the past three and a half years in the Elements kitchen, working his way to sous chef. The area is familiar to Ryan, who grew up in nearby Oldwick. Outside of work, Ryan shows us how he spends his downtime, teaching us to make a silky, nourishing mushroom soup in his Belle Mead kitchen and talking to us about his favorite food finds, from black trumpet mushrooms to Époisses cheese.
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