Chef Andre Natera’s new blog gives cooking, fighting tips: What it’s like to be on the losing end of a punch, plus how to cook salmon

Andre Natera used to be the top chef at the Dallas Fairmont Hotel’s Pyramid restaurant (which made news again last weekend). At the time, the Pyramid was one of the city’s best meals.

Sarah Snow (now chef of the Grape), Julio Peraza (now the chef of Proof + Pantry) and Maggie Huff (now the pastry chef of FT33) all trained under Natera. His cooking was creative, delicious and technically flawless. Seven days a week, Natera kicked ass in the kitchen and shared that knowledge and passion with his staff.

But few knew Natera also had a passion for kicking ass in the boxing ring, although he’d also tell you he got his own ass kicked more than a few times. Now that he’s exec chef at the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Natera is spending a little more free time in boxing.

Want to know what it feels like to get pummeled? Want to know how to glaze carrots, perfectly cook salmon or how to excel as a line cook? Natera shares it all on his new blog, Food, Fighting & Finesse.

He’s shared a few of his cooking tips in the videos below. Jump here if you want to know more about those carrots, that ass-kicking, or if you’d just like to know what Natera’s up to these days.