Massachusetts-born Alex Stupak was a pre-teen prep cook. (The 12-year-old culinary boy wonder had convinced a restaurant’s owner he was of legal age.) From there, it was adolescence-meets-culinary education, with Stupak enrolling in his high school’s culinary arts program and the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America. He even started participating in culinary competitions, reaching the national level by the time he was a senior.