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Here's is a list of chefs participating in the 12th
Annual World of Pinot Noir.
 Chef Brian Collins
Vintage Burgundy Dinner
Burgundy From The Ground Up Lunch
Raised on the Central Coast, Brian Collin's initial
love of food was inspired by a dinner he attended in
Rome at the age of 13. Years later, while working in
the kitchens of local Cafes and Restaurants, a desire
for a formal culinary training grew, bringing Chef Collins
to enroll in the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.
After schooling and working in restaurants such as Chez
Panisse (2005-2006), Chef Collins was ready to make his
return to the central coast ultimately bringing him full
circle back to Shell Beach as the Executive Chef at Lido
Restaurant in 2011. Chef Collins is convinced that the
best tasting food is organically and locally grown and
harvested in ways that are ecologically sound by people
that are taking care of the land for future generations.
The quest for such ingredients is what determines his
cuisine.
 Chef José Dahan
Dine Around at Et Voilà!
Originally from Toulouse in the South of France, José grew
up in a culinary family. He started his culinary adventure
at the age of 6 after an egg fight with his brother in
the basement. From there the rest is history and with
over 3 decades of classical training and international
cuisine under his belt Jose has his own restaurant and
catering company, Et Voilà! located in San Luis
Obispo, California.
 Chef Jensen Lorenzen
Dine Around at The Cass House
Chef Lorenzen started his career, as many chefs do,
washing dishes in the kitchen of a restaurant. Working
with various chefs on the central coast of California
Lorenzen cultivated his passion for food which ultimately
led him to opening his own restaurant and inn, The Cass
House. Chef Lorenzen works closely with local farmers
and foragers to ensure that each menu represents the
best the season has to offer. His philosophy is simple: “I
believe it is important to preserve the tradition of
my training, while allowing our cuisine to constantly
evolve and improve.”
 Chef Maegen Loring
Dine Around at The Neon Carrot
With a keen palate, accomplished technical skills, extensive
knowledge and a passion for food, Maegen is one of those
rare people who are what they do. Her life experiences
have always, in one way or another, been about food—she
is about food and food is about her. Every creation from
her kitchen is just what you would expect from her—unique
flavorful and exactly what it should be. Working all
over the map , from fine dining to catering, the Neon
Carrot allows Maegan to explore the comfort foods reminiscent
of home using fresh and local ingredients from the central
coast of California. After all “Food is Love”.
 Chef Ricardo Ortega
Dine Around at Ventana Grill
Ventana Grill’s menu is inspired by the fresh
cuisines of Latin America and California. Chef Ortega
started
his career on the central coast working as the sous chef
at 7 Hands restaurant in San Luis Obispo before becoming
the Executive Chef at the Custom House in Avila Beach
9 years ago. Today he oversees both restaurants. With
Ventana Grill Ortega is looking to offer different and
offbeat ideas that are vibrant, lively, and delicious.
 Chef Mark Peel
Vintage Burgundy Dinner
Mark Peel has been the Executive Chef and owner of the award winning Campanile restaurant, one of Los Angeles' landmark restaurants, for over 20 years. He is the author of “New Classic Family Dinners” (John Wiley and Sons.), which was selected as one of the top ten cookbooks of 2009 by Amazon and one of the top twenty five cookbooks of 2009 by Food and Wine Magazine. Chef Peel is also co-founder of La Brea Bakery. Peel began his career working under Wolfgang Puck at Ma Maison. He did stints in France at La Tour d’Argent and Le Moulin de Mougins. He then worked at Michaels and at Chez Pannisse. He moved back to Los Angeles when Wolfgang Puck asked him to be his chef de cuisine at his new restaurant, Spago. Mark also helped open Chinois and Spago Tokyo. He was the executive chef for a brief time in NY at Maxwell’s Plum before opening Campanile Restaurant in 1989. Peel’s philosophy on food is influenced by his mentors like Puck and Alice Waters, “food on the plate should look like it just dropped from heaven.”
He has been seen numerous times on TV, “Kitchen Nightmares” with Gordon Ramsay, “Hell’s Kitchen”, “Top Chef”, “Top Chef: Masters,” , and most recently he and The Tar Pit were featured in “Top Chef : Just Deserts”. He is also a regular contributor on John Rabe’s “Off ramp” on 89.3 KPCC (Southern Cal) where he tells listeners everything from how to pick a good mushroom to what makes a table so popular. Mark also co authored two other cook books with his former wife Nancy Silverton, “Mark Peel & Nancy Silverton At Home: Two Chefs Cook for Family and Friends” and “The Food of Campanile.”
 Chef Neil Smith
Pinot Adventure Camp (Kayak, Hike) lunch
“Food is just another form of art! A dish should
look enticing, stimulate your sense of smell and satisfy
your sense of taste.” For years Chef Neil has been
dedicated to providing his guests with organic, locally
farmed produce. This commitment extends to the Central
Coast’s nearby farms and fisheries as he only purchase
sustainably raised livestock and seafood. All our seafood
is either wild-caught, or farmed in ways that follow
the guidelines of the Seafood Watch Program in Monterey
Bay. Chef Neil joined Windows on the Water as executive
chef in 2007 and is still going strong today creating
world cuisine and “melding the food, flavors, and
aromas that we are privileged to enjoy in California.”
Chef Kevin Woods
Pinot Adventure Camp (Golf) lunch |
