Ground beef, wrapped in a flour tortilla, deep-fried until crisp, and smothered with electric-orange nacho cheese sauce. This is the "Crispito," and this is how Alan’s love affair with food began in his third-grade cafeteria-a love affair that remains strong nearly 20 years later. Alan attended New York’s French Culinary Institute before joining Gourmet. And don’t worry, we have no plans to update Alan’s "Crispito" recipe for future publication in the magazine.
Alan Sytsma
Assistant Editor

Photograph by Romulo Yanes
Alan Sytsma on gourmet.com
magazine
Cooking Schools: Experiential Cuisine
Will Goldfarb, the innovative pastry chef, can be as whimsical as he is chemically precise.
May 2008
- Keywords
- alan sytsma,
- cooking school,
- will goldfarb,
- dessert,
- molecular gastronomy
wine + spirits + beer
2 Guys: How to Make a Good Thing Better
Beer that’s been aged in a whisky cask has a deep viscosity and a velvety pour, and this stuff could keep a car running smooth for months.
04.23.08
- Keywords
- ian knauer,
- alan sytsma,
- 2 Guys,
- beer
food + cooking
2 Guys, 3 Balls
…And a liver, some kidneys, and a heart.
03.21.08
- Keywords
- ingredients,
- meat,
- ian knauer,
- alan sytsma,
- 2 Guys
food + cooking
A Rooster’s Wake-Up Call
It’s that “delicious, spicy taste,” with its hint of exoticism, that sets Sriracha hot sauce apart.
02.08.08
- Keywords
- ingredients,
- asian,
- thai,
- alan sytsma
food + cooking
Which Came First, the Chicken or the Pig?
With this week's review of Barbuto in the New York Times, the hottest dish in Manhattan today is… roast chicken?
01.11.08
- Keywords
- alan sytsma,
- cooking + technique,
- poultry,
- restuarants,
- new york
food + cooking
Now You're Cooking With Power
The other day, our Web Editor handed me a copy of the anime-esque
"Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends," a video game.
12.14.07
- Keywords
- alan sytsma,
- culinary culture,
- gordon ramsay
food + cooking
The Endorsement: Fish for Breakfast
"What are you eating?" said my friend,
entering the kitchen this morning. My mouth was full, and I didn't realize she
had woken up yet.
04.25.07
- Keywords
- alan sytsma,
- culinary culture,
- seafood,
- scandinavian
food + cooking
Lined Up
Reynolds (as in, Reynolds Wrap) must have research somewhere that says I'm
in some sort of purchasing minority in that 1) I don't generally want to cook
my food in nylon and 2) I find slow cookers to be pretty easy to clean....
03.08.07
- Keywords
- alan sytsma,
- cooking + technique
chefs + restaurants
My Beef with Lam
This is the restaurant that has, in my Midwestern opinion, the best CSHD available anywhere.
10.13.07
- Keywords
- alan sytsma,
- restaurant notes,
- chicago,
- pork
wine + spirits + beer
Behold: The Bananimé
So what happens when you stick a bunch of circus peanuts into some cheap vodka and let it sit for a few days?
10.04.07
- Keywords
- alan sytsma,
- spirits,
- cocktail,
- mixology