Fall - 2022

154 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 2 C hef Bert Cutino started in the restaurant business at age 13, washing dishes. In 1968, Cutino and business partner, Ted Balestreri, opened The Sardine Factory restaurant as well as other opera- tions, eventually purchasing part of Cannery Row. Today, the award-win- ning chef is still at the helm of the celebrated restaurant and is once again being named Chef of the Year. Q: You are being honored again with the American Culinary Federation, Monterey Bay Chapter, Chef of the Year Award. How does it feel to receive this award? A: It is always a great honor to receive recognition from your peers…I was Chef of theYear in the past with the chapter as well as being a National Chef of theYear…They have also decided to start a scholarship in my name, which was a pleasant surprise—A lot of chefs have been involved with me in events such as the Culinary Classique that I do each year for Meals on Wheels; it raises quite a bit of money to feed people and that is what we do: feed people. Q: What is most rewarding about being an integral part of the development of Cannery Row? A: I was brought up in the fishing industry with my family, so it meant a great deal to me to be involved and be partners in The Cannery Row Company with Ted Balestreri. Q: Who are some of the well-known people who have dined at The Sardine Factory? A: The Sardine Factory was originally a cafeteria to feed the cannery workers.And the most exciting thing for me was opening our own restau- rant, not knowing how successful we were going to be. Clint Eastwood came to us when he was directing his first movie,“Play Misty for Me.” Bing Crosby would come into our restaurant, along with actress Jane Seymour and Tony Bennett. I could go on and on…Jim Nantz from CBS Sports comes in and has invited others like Ray Romano and Kenny G…and what is interesting is, as of this date, anyone who has had a political fundraiser in the wine cellar has won. Q: Why do you think your style of cooking endures? A: We have been able to keep a mix of cuisine. If the customer accepts a dish, we continue to offer it. For instance, we have the Abalone Bisque that we created for the opening of our restaurant, and it is still our signa- ture soup today. It was served at President Reagan’s Inauguration in 1984. Q: Please mention some favorite items on the menu. A: Lobster Ravioli in a truffle sauce has taken hold; this one gives an opportunity for people to have lobster in a unique way rather than just lobster tail. Also, our local Sand Dabs, which at one time was called trash fish, is now so popular you can hardly get it. We serve local fish that is high quality and present it in distinctive styles and diverse ways. The main thing is that we use quality ingredients and that goes for the produce, meat, fish and pasta. Q: What is it about the ambiance of the Sardine Factory that pairs so well with your food? A: The Sardine Factory is not a casual restaurant as we have sommeliers, a cellar master and a tremendous wine list and certainly we can choose various wines that match foods we serve.We have done wine dinners and pairing of wines with food that we create especially for the wine. Of course, we are a little more casual than we used to be as times have changed, and if you do not change with them, you may not be in business in the future. Q: What are some popular holidays or occasions that guests enjoy cel- ebrating at the Sardine Factory? How do you make it special for them? The Sardine Factory’s Classic Charm Endures Chef Ber t Cut ino Honored Wi th 2022 Chef of the Year Award B Y B R E T T WI L BUR We have a lot of repeat customers that come to us year after year because they know they have a perceived value on the dinner that fits the occasion, and I am immensely proud of that fact, as we put a lot of time and effort in making these times special with the menu.