Winter-2022

converting the entire menu to one specific region or one specific type of cuisine. When I create a menu, it’s almost like putting a little bit of my life experiences on a plate. But all my cooking techniques are rooted from a classical French approach. Q: Have you changed the menu since you’ve come onboard? A: Yes, I’ve probably changed it three times already…Starting from the breakfast menu, making it a lit- tle more fresh and a little more lively. Two of the most favorite things on the breakfast menu are avocado toast and huevos rancheros. Lunch is a little bit more playful and approachable. I have a toasted cous cous salad with quinoa, hearts of palm, chickpeas and a honey poppy seed vinaigrette. Dinner is a more upscale casual…approachable.We are still incor- porating that coastal cuisine…As we transition to Monterey salmon on the menu, it comes with a Rancho Gordo Corona bean and a mustard emulsion and braised greens and fennel. It’s more like a cassoulet style so it’s a little bit more hearty. Q: How has the transition been? A: I’m replacing a chef who has been here for quite some time and has a huge local following. Our style of food is completely different. I would consider mine being a little bit more of a pro- gressive style American with Central Coast influences…One of the biggest hits here is crab cakes using the Dungeness West Coast crab. I was astonished to see how much we sell. We are keeping it simple but keeping it fresh. For dinner, we have a first course with an heir- loom tomato carpaccio with mozzarella cream in an aged bal- samic…One item we just put on the menu is king trumpet mush- room salad with pickled grapes that came from just beyond the vineyard.We are creating fun lit- tle takes on what we have. Bernardus Lodge & Spa is located at 415 West Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. For more info, visit www.bernarduslodge.com or call 831/658-3400. 172 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 2 “THE CAPITOL OF EGGS BENEDICT” Our 40th 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 10AM Closed on Wednesdays Largest Breakfast Menu on the West Coast ® ® ® I’m a big fan of guajillo chiles and a little bit biased to green chiles from New Mexico, but I use chiles grown here locally, whether it’s jalapenos or chipotle or guajillo.