It’s been 21 years since you moved to Salt Lake City from Northern California to revive the Log Haven. What is so special about this treasured, event-ready institution?
Consistently named one of the top 100 Romantic Restaurants in the U.S. by Open Table and Conde Nast, our log building, dating to 1920, was given as an anniversary present by a member of the NYC Metropolitan Opera to his beloved wife. There’s also magic in our unique location. Just 20 minutes from Salt Lake City and the airport, we sit amid thousands of acres of wilderness, including three waterfalls, towering old-growth firs, hiking and biking trails, and ever-present wildlife.
Early on, you worked with the legendary French chef Jean Louis Palladin. How does that experience continue to influence your work?
Jean Louis Palladin was an early mentor and inspiration, along with Wolfgang Puck, Nancy Silverton and Mark Peale. My training at the California Culinary Institute was in classical European techniques—strictly by the books—but these extraordinary chefs taught me how to soar and have fun in the kitchen.
How would you describe the Salt Lake City region’s appeal today as a culinary destination?
Consumers are open to a “culinary evolution” that humbly, I’ve been instrumental in developing and maturing. There was no local sourcing when I arrived, but for more than a decade now, I’ve foraged and used native plants in my recipes. Two years ago, I began cultivating plants from Log Haven’s ecosystem, from which I make sauces, shrubs for specialty cocktails, sorbets, ice creams and other delicacies. Today, I see tremendous growth in small acreage farming, artisanal cheese making, free-range poultry and game meats, and local distilleries.
