March 01, 2004

By: Taylor Kent
Website: http://www.1st-in-steaks.com

Bruce Aidells , 'The Sausage King'

It’s no accident that Bruce Aidells nickname is "The Sausage King." Since founding Aidells Sausage Company in California in 1983, he has earned a reputation as an innovator in the gourmet sausage business. Those with a passion for exciting tastes prize Aidells’ sausage for its originality, incredible flavor and convenience.

When he is not busy recipe testing a new variety of sausage for Aidells Sausage Company, Bruce is writing articles and cookbooks. Aidells has authored nine cookbooks including The Complete Meat Cookbook, The Complete Sausage Book, the Meat and Poultry chapters of the revised Joy of Cooking and the key meat tips in The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook.

Bruce Aidells arrives at his culinary expertise by way of a Ph.D. in biology, which he earned at the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 1974. It was on the UCSC campus that Aidells got his first taste of the food business; at a small restaurant he founded and ran. Ultimately, biological research couldn’t compete with good food. Aidells exchanged his lab coat for a chef’s toque at Poulet a popular Berkeley restaurant and charcuterie. When he left Poulet, Aidells, armed with a vast variety of sausage recipes that he had created and a loyal clientele founded Aidells Sausage Company.

Aidells is a frequent guest on the Food Network and had his own cooking segment on San Francisco’s Evening Magazine. He has appeared as a guest on Martin Yan’s, "Yan Can Cook;" "Aimee Coleman’s Home cooking:" " Judy Zedler’s "Kosher Kitchen;" and four episodes of Paul James Home Grown Cooking. "Big Bruce," as he is known to his San Francisco fans, is a frequent commentator and chef on Bay Area television and radio, a regular contributor to Gourmet, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, the Culinary Review and Berkeley Monthly.

Aidells’ and his co-writer Denis Kelly’s first book together Hot Links and Country Flavors was honored in 1991 with the Julia Child cookbook award for best single-subject cookbook. The Complete Meat Cookbook received a prestigious nomination for a James Beard award in 1999. Other titles in the Aidells canon include Real Beer and Good Eats (1992) and Flying Sausages (1995).

Bruce Aidells is married to Nancy Oakes, Executive Chef and co-owner of San Francisco’s top-rated Boulevard Restaurant. Aidells and Oakes live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Also see: steak marinade

About The Author:

Taylor Kent is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-steaks.com.  Great tips on buying top quality meats, steaks and seafood from the finest ranchers and butchers.