Getting Fresh with San Diego's Top Chefs

Julia Child first published Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 1961, forever changing the way cooking and dining were mutually experienced. And in similar fashion, Alice Waters – having founding Chez Panisse in Northern California 10 years later, pioneered the modern concept of "California Cuisine." But more important than the list of notable chefs that inspired her daily menu, is what revolutionized, the dining scene from that point forward; the concept not only challenged the source of ingredients employed but placed a focus on produce freshness and local crops made available at farmer’s markets as well.

Lubach’s, Mister A’s and the Star of the Sea were the go-to dining destinations in San Diego in 1971 – when more butter was better. Over ensuing years, the local dining scene changed remarkably. Today, we embrace a more natural philosophy, including farm-to-table, slow food, sustainable and organic; but whatever term utilized or described, our food is fresh, tasty and healthy as a result.

Evolving California Cuisine at Nine-Ten

The opportunity to savor freshness is epitomized by what Jason Knibb delivers day-after-day at Nine-Ten in La Jolla. He refers to it as "Evolving California Cuisine," which involves using the local harvest to determine his menu. It is created daily and reflects fresh products found at artisan providers such as Chino Farms and Crow’s Pass. Fresh fish from the local sea as well as those flown in from Hawaii and the Atlantic, provide added flavor to the menu.

"[Farm-to-table] is the only way to do it," responds Chef Knibb. "We’re always looking for the best and the freshest products, from produce to proteins.  Showcasing the freshness of that product and letting it speak for itself has always been my philosophy." And when it comes to the local fare available, he comments, "We’ve got some of the best farmers around. But Chino Farms is still the best for me and the one I frequent most often! They have the freshest and best quality product. It’s got to be fresh and high quality for the dish to translate into something amazing and memorable."

Chef Knibb is among a group of like-minded colleagues that created ‘Cooks Confablieri,’ or simply Cooks Confab. On a mission to promote local, sustainable and responsible menus, the team actively pursues opportunities and quarterly events feeding their passion for freshness, as well as local awareness for Slow Food Urban San Diego – a grassroots movement committed to a community and the environment.

Prior to joining Nine-Ten in 2003, Chef Knibb was executive chef at Robert Redford’s Sundance Village; having also trained with Wolfgang Puck, Roy Yamaguchi, and Hans Rockenwagner among others. Not only is he a ‘Rising Star’ Chef Winner for 2010 – one of only two chefs in San Diego to be recognized for this coveted honor, but was also recently inducted into the San Diego Chef Hall of Fame.

"Each of my mentors has a simple common philosophy about cooking," states Knibb. "They create regional cuisine using the freshest local products available. This is perfectly in-sync with Nine-Ten’s ‘earth-to-table’ approach."

A.R. Valentien – Taking Advantage of the Local Landscape

Chef Jeff Jackson of A.R. Valentien, of The Lodge at Torrey Pines, is also a member of Cooks Confab – likewise sharing a passion for the freshest of ingredients prepared in his kitchen. When he joined The Lodge at Torrey Pines prior to its opening, he created the menu around this concept, with a simple intent for enjoying the bounty of local producers. Since then, both the chef and the restaurant have been recognized nationally by Zagat, along with ranking as one of the top 10 farm-to-table establishments by Conde Nast Traveler.

The seasonality of produce and available product affect the daily menu. Start with appetizers like carrot soup with lobster and blood orange reduction, braised veal cheek cannelloni

with Bloomsdale spinach, or even roasted beets with pistachio butter. The grilled hanger steak with wilted Bloomsdale spinach, rissolé potatoes, and salmoriglio is terrific, as is the speck-wrapped baguette grouper with roasted cauliflower gribiche. Other recent menu highlights have included roasted organic chicken with young broccoli with green garlic and rissolé potatoes, braised white sea bass with roasted Maitake mushrooms, baby escarole and grain mustard, lobster risotto with fava beans, wild spinach, mint, and oregano.

"A carrot, is not a carrot, is not a carrot," states Chef Jackson, emphasizing his focus on local quality produce. "All vegetables and fruits have different qualities that make them unique. The tomatoes from farmer A may have certain qualities one week and change slightly the following week. A good cook needs to recognize this and adjust his/her preparations and seasonings to take advantage of these subtle differences.  We’re fortunate to live in a climate that avails a yearlong growing season. The farm-to-table approach enables us to change and adjust menus daily to take advantage of foodstuffs at their peak."

Chef Jackson – the 1988 winner of the esteemed USA Bocuse d’Or Culinary Gold Cup Competition and 30-year industry veteran – has shown his talent and inventiveness time and again. From his early days as a chef to the wonderful food for which he is responsible, A.R. Valentien is worth a visit. During summer and fall, think about lunch or dinner alfresco on the terrace adjacent to the dining room – a view of golfers on the fairway or a Pacific sunset perfectly compliment the dining experience.

Reservations are a must for evening dining at both restaurants and are suggested for lunch during peak periods.