Jason Alston is known for the smoked meats and sides he offers at Heaven’s Table, his BBQ joint in the Uptown Crossing neighborhood. But like many chefs, he started his training in the most pragmatic and nurturing of ways – as a kid cooking in the shadow of his elders. The two recipes featured here are evidence of that. The salmon patties were traditionally made with mackerel, he says, but he likes the texture and flavor of salmon, favoring fresh over canned. They’re baked first, then browned in a cast-iron skillet. He likes to serve them with rice and hot sauce. “That was dinner a lot of nights,” Alston says. 

How does Alston’s hometown of Milwaukee play into all this? “The recipes remind me of how we [Milwaukeeans] make the best with what we have. This city is known for that and definitely inspired my family with how we make and create things.”