Hot plate cooking with a fine dining chef in one of New York's smallest apartments

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Grayson Altenberg 6103

Sarah Jacobs

Chef Altenberg sitting on his air mattress.

You might be under the impression that you live in a small space.

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This may be the case, however, I can guarantee that it is not as tiny as professional chef Grayson Altenberg's new apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

A recent New York transplant from the Midwest, the 22-year-old moved into a 100-square-foot studio this summer and hasn't regretted his decision. Yet.

The media - The Village Voice, New York Post, and the Today show, for example - has gawked at his extremely compact lifestyle, but Altenberg says he's happy to occupy his 100-square-foot space.

A line cook at Lincoln Ristorante, we were intrigued that a restaurant professional could stand to live in a space that has no counter tops for slicing, dicing, and chopping - not to mention a stove.

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Turns out, he's perfectly capable of making a delicious dish with just a hot plate, mini fridge, and portable tray. Take a look at his process, and a (very quick) tour of his place.