Winter 2025

ple protect the watershed and who is sustain- able when it comes to packaging their products. Q: What inspires your dishes? A: My inspiration comes from what’s around me, my garden and the season. During pumpkin season, it’s pumpkins. When mushrooms are flourishing, it’s mushrooms. I also love heritage chickens. They’re not your typical broilers and that brings another layer of flavor and connec- tion to my food. Q: You talk a lot about relationships with local vendors.Why is that important to you? A: I hope people can feel the passion I have for those relationships.They drive me to do jus- tice to the ingredients so that everyone—farm- ers, foragers, winemakers—shares in the suc- cess. There’s a lot that goes into great food when you don’t hit the “easy button.” Q: One more family question.What was your favorite thing that your grandmother made? A: I would watch her making boules [a tradi- tional round loaf of bread]. She would buy dairy from cows on the other end of the community, and then make the butter, and we had fresh ham. So that would be it, the fresh ham with butter and bread. Lafayette Bakery makes bread with the hard- er crust.They made some samples for me, and I thought, “finally, this might be it,” and by “it” I mean, like my grandmother’s. My mother also tasted it and she agrees. Q: What’s your philosophy on wine? A: Wine doesn’t have to be all about Napa or France.We make really good wine right here, and I love highlighting that. Q: How do you see your role and vision in continuing the legacy of this place? A: It all goes hand in hand; the atmosphere, the view, and the food itself. At Jack O’Neill’s, people were so receptive to that balance, and that’s the same spirit I want to carry forward here. It’s not about chasing profit; it’s about hon- oring what [Bernardus founder] Ben Pon envi- sioned and what great chefs like Cal and Tim and others built before me. This place has always been a breeding ground for talent, and I don’t take that lightly. For me, food has always been what drives a community together. It con- nects me back to being a kid in Portugal, watch- ing a man drive to Porto in a truck filled with crushed ice and come back with seafood. It was something we all looked forward to sharing and eating. I am a true believer that chefs are here to feed people. Lucia Restaurant & Bar is located at 415 W. Carmel Valley Road. For more information, visit www.bernarduslodge.com or call 831/298-5389. 150 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 5 “THE CAPITOL OF EGGS BENEDICT” Our 42nd Year! Katy’s Place A Carmel Tradition Mission Between 5th and 6th (831)624-0199 www.katysplacecarmel. com Breakfast & Lunch 7:30AM to 1:00PM Tuesdays 7:30AM to 9:30AM Closed on Wednesdays one of the Largest Breakfast Menus on the West Coast ® ® ® S AY YOU S AW T H I S A D I N CA RM E L MAG A Z I N E !