Meet Chef Lynx
Every chef has a beginning. Mine started with an egg, a slice of bread, and someone patient enough to teach me.
My name is Alekzander Balderas, better known as Chef Lynx. I was born in Houston, Texas, in April 2008, and the truth is, I didn’t always know I wanted to become a chef. My love for cooking started with something incredibly simple. One day, my Aunt Missy asked me to cook her an egg. There was only one problem—I had no idea how to make one.
Instead of taking over, she patiently showed me how to make Egg in the Hole. She taught me to use a cup to cut a circle from the middle of a slice of bread, butter both sides, place it in the pan, and crack an egg right into the center so the bread and egg cooked together.
It wasn’t a complicated dish, but that moment stayed with me.
I remember her patience as she taught me and the love on her face while we cooked. Something about creating food with my own hands—and sharing that experience with someone I loved—clicked. I realized cooking could be more than just making something to eat.
It could create a memory.
Finding My Path
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When I attended Jersey Village High School, I decided to take culinary classes. That decision helped turn an interest into a dream.
My culinary teacher, Rich Popovic, became one of the first teachers who truly believed in me and what I could become. He wasn’t just a teacher; he became a mentor and a guide. He encouraged me to take my passion seriously, helped me research culinary schools, and helped me realize that my goal was to become an Italian chef.
The culinary teacher who followed continued to push and inspire me, helping me refine my skills, become more confident in the kitchen, and prepare for what would come next.
By the time I graduated from Jersey Village High School in 2026, I knew the kitchen was where I belonged.
The Journey Begins
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After graduation, I visited several culinary schools throughout Texas, searching for the place where I could take the next step.
Ultimately, I decided that my journey didn’t need to take me away from home. I chose to stay in Houston and begin my formal culinary training at Culinary Institute Lenotre.
Today, I’m still learning. I’m still developing my style, making mistakes, trying new techniques, and discovering the kind of chef I want to become.
My dream is to master my craft, build a career in Italian cuisine, and eventually open a restaurant of my own.
But no matter how far this journey takes me, I’ll always remember
WHERE IT BEGAN
Aunt Missy, a slice of bread, an egg, and the moment I discovered that food made with patience and love can become something much bigger than a meal.
This is Chef Lynx. And this is only the beginning.