Instagram story viewer> @cheftonylamboy> Posts

Tony

@cheftonylamboy

1.7K

followers

815

following

Head Chef/CDC @milesquarecafe

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

I got into the kitchen and decided corn needed to stop playing the supporting role.

First, I charred the corn until it picked up that smoky, almost sweet fire-roasted flavor. Sweated down onions in butter, tossed that corn in, hit it with the spices, then poured in the heavy cream and let everything get acquainted.

Then straight into the blender.

Blended it until that shit was silky, pushed the whole thing through a chinois because we’re not serving anything that feels like baby food, and finished the sauce with fresh lemon zest + juice to cut through all that richness.

Then came the sweet lime gel. Bright, sweet, tart little pops of lime cutting through that rich corn sauce and giving the whole plate a little slap of acidity.

I took the whole elote idea and turned it into the dough — corn, flour, eggs, ricotta, seasoning — and started working it until somehow this pile of ingredients became these soft little pillows of corn insanity.

Was it easy?

Absolutely fucking not.

There was flour everywhere. There was corn everywhere. There were moments where I questioned the entire operation.

But then it hit the pan.

Then it hit the sauce.

Then the cotija came down.
Fresh cilantro.
A little seasoning.
And suddenly…

WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST MAKE?

Mexican street corn walked into an Italian kitchen, got drunk with ricotta, learned how to make pasta and came out wearing a tailored suit.

Corn Elote Gnocchi.

Sometimes you gotta fuck around with an idea long enough until it becomes something magical. 🌽🇲🇽🇮🇹 by @cheftonylamboy

21

1

a month ago

Listen…

You ever have one of those dishes where you take the first bite and immediately start looking around the kitchen like,

“WHO MADE THIS?”

Yeah.

It’s me.

Charred corn elote fritter.
Birria carne.
Cilantro crema.
Pickled red onion.
Cotija.

The fritter is crispy.
The beef is ridiculous.
The crema is cooling everything down.

This is not a snack. This is an event. by @cheftonylamboy

12

3

a month ago

I took a chicken parm and sent that motherfucker through customs.

Came back wearing salsa verde, melted cojita mozzarella and a little Calabrian chili oil jewelry.

Crispy cutlet. Green sauce. Cheese pull. Red oil dripping like the kitchen got caught doing something illegal.

MEXICAN CHICKEN PARM.

From Jersey to Tijuana & Back 🇮🇹🇲🇽 by @cheftonylamboy

45

6

2 months ago

Movie night with my youngin’ 🕷️🎬
Fresh kicks, Spider-Verse energy, two dudes somewhere between the real world and another dimension.
Father-son shit. Memories over everything. by @cheftonylamboy

21

2

2 months ago

Family meal turned passport.

Hand-folded tortellini stuffed with slow-braised birria, swimming in a tomato jam Alfredo that shouldn’t make sense… but sings like an old Italian grandmother front row at lucha libre.

Parmesan snowfall. Fresh parsley. Every bite throws punches in two languages.

Built this on the pass after knocking out the day’s work. Sometimes the best dishes aren’t on the menu—they happen when the kitchen finally breathes, Hoboken by way of Jalisco.

Feed your people first. 🇲🇽🤝🇮🇹 by @cheftonylamboy

26

1

3 months ago

Ever catch yourself thinking about how fast time is flying?

One minute you’re talking about your dreams… the next, another year has passed. It made me ask myself, am I really doing everything I want to do in life, or am I just getting by?

I’ve realized that if I keep waiting for the “perfect time,” I’ll never start.

So instead of just talking about it, I’m building it.

Late nights after work, sketching ideas, learning design, making changes, and putting everything together. It’s been a process, but seeing these ideas finally come to life makes every hour worth it.

This is just the beginning of La Cucina NYC.

Starting with custom tees, snapbacks, and chef aprons—built from my love for food, New York, and streetwear.

The support and feedback I’ve already received has honestly meant a lot. It reminds me that taking a chance on yourself is always worth it.

This isn’t just merch to me. It’s something I’ve been creating from the ground up, and I’m excited to see where it goes.

Good Food. Good People.

More to come… 🍅🧢

#LaCucinaNYC #Streetwear #ChefLife #FoodCulture #NYCStyle by @cheftonylamboy

24

4

3 months ago

Started from the bottom, now we’re here. 👨‍🍳🔥

One year ago I walked through these doors as a line cook with one goal—to work hard, stay humble, keep learning, and let my food speak for itself.

Today, I’m proud to be the Head Chef / CDC. What a journey it’s been. Plenty of ups and downs, challenges, victories, stressful moments, and days that felt like they would never end. Every obstacle has helped shape me into a stronger chef, leader, and teammate.

Happy 1-year anniversary to the place that believed in me and gave me the opportunity to show what I can do. I’m incredibly grateful to the owners for trusting me with this opportunity, and to everyone I’ve worked alongside over the past year. Great kitchens aren’t built by one person—they’re built by a team that shows up every day with the same goal: to create great food and give our guests the best experience possible.

Looking back at where I started and where I am today reminds me that hard work, consistency, and passion really do pay off. I’m proud of how far we’ve come, and I’m even more excited for what’s ahead.

From line cook to Head Chef/CDC in one year. Here’s to many more milestones, continuing to grow, and raising the bar every single day. ❤️👨‍🍳🔥 @joeyborrajo @steve.elhassan @mikevincii

Year 1 ✅ The journey is just getting started. taken in Hoboken, New Jersey by @cheftonylamboy

35

6

3 months ago

Slow motion Tuesday.

Had basil hanging on by a thread, so I spun it into a ricotta gnocchi dough with Parmigiano and black pepper. Little pillows, light as a tax return that actually hits.

Dropped them into a vodka sauce built on garlic confit. The kind of sauce that sticks to your mustache and makes you forget what time it is.

Then the sourdough got involved.

Garlic confit. Tomato jam. Fresh parm shaved so aggressively it looked like a Nor’easter rolled through the kitchen. Lemon zest raining from the heavens.

Family meal turned into a scene.

Nobody asked for portions.
Nobody asked what it cost.
Everybody just ate.

Bowls wiped clean. Bread disappeared. Parmesan all over the cutting board like fresh snow on the Turnpike.

That’s the beauty of kitchen life.

One man’s old basil is another man’s masterpiece. by @cheftonylamboy

18

2

3 months ago

The beef was singing opera.

Roast beef, provolone, caramelized onions cooked down until they looked like mahogany, Mike’s Hot Honey garlic aioli dripping off the elbows.

Served on Balthazar Pullman and fresh sourdough focaccia from today’s bake.

A sandwich fit for a man wearing ostrich leather loafers while eating cherries off a yacht in the Adriatic.

Family meal 🚀🥪🔥 by @cheftonylamboy

16

0

4 months ago

MSC Breakfast 🌿🍳
Soft scrambled eggs folded with ricotta, topped with freshly grated parm, black pepper, chili flakes & a drizzle of olive oil. Served with our shepherd salad mix — scallions, mint, parsley, tomatoes & cucumbers tossed in a lemon-sumac vinaigrette — plus a slice of fresh baked sourdough focaccia made daily. by @cheftonylamboy

42

5

4 months ago

Chicago-style Italian beef has always been a big inspiration for me, so I had to bring my version to Mile Square Cafe.

Thin-sliced roast beef, packed with flavor, and finished with a hot honey garlic aioli made with Mike’s Hot Honey—it came out 🔥

Still dialing it in, but this one’s got serious summer energy. Stay tuned. by @cheftonylamboy

19

2

5 months ago

Being a chef isn’t just about cooking food—anyone can cook. It’s about being the first and last line of defense for your team. The unmovable object, cemented into the ground you stand on. Stand firm. Stand strong. No matter what’s thrown at you, you keep your composure and you grind with little to no reaction. You become a force to be reckoned with.

Being a chef isn’t about yelling or being a dictator—it’s about dominating the kitchen with control, discipline, and respect. It’s about setting the tone, leading from the front, and holding the standard when nobody else will. It’s about taking the hits so your team doesn’t have to, teaching when it’s needed, and pushing everyone—including yourself—to a higher level every single day.

You don’t fold under pressure. You don’t break. You adapt, you execute, and you lead. That’s what makes a real chef. by @cheftonylamboy

104

22

6 months ago