Chef-Steven-Hazell – Chef Steven Hazell

Chef Steven Hazell

My mission is to enhance your appreciation for healthy foods, inspire you to make positive food choices, awaken your inner chef and to prove that healthy cooking doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor. Food is a great way to learn about and experience the culinary diversity of the world, this can be done by using fresh regional and seasonal ingredients.

Chef

Steven

I attended the California Culinary Academy and the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. My background includes having the honor of working at some of the best restaurants in the United States: Charlie Trotters in Chicago, Rubicon in San Francisco, Citrus in Los Angles, and Sun Valley Resort in Sun Valley. I was also the Chef/Owner of Mosaics in San Luis Obispo California where I was awarded best new California central coast restaurant by Gourmet Magazine in 2000, and also named best California central coast chef in 2000 & 2001. Since then I have opened 6 restaurants and have been an instructor at a culinary academy.

Having over 25 years in the restaurant industry, I decided to combine my experience, passion for flavor, and love of wine to create a very unique catering and culinary education company, which specializes in inspiring healthy choices by demonstrating that great taste and good nutrition can go hand in hand. Through a variety of cooking demonstrations, culinary classes and personal instruction. I can help you to create a real “farm to table” experience.

My greatest passion is to pair wines with a wide variety of food and flavors adding a healthy twist. My wine knowledge began while working with Clay Thompson owner of Claiborne & Churchill winery, where he taught me about the winemaking process in the Edna Valley region of Central California and then becoming the first executive Chef at Justin Winery in Paso Robles, CA. There I worked closely with the winemaker, who gave me a deep understanding of the complicated process of turning a grape into a amazing bottle of wine and learning the winemaking process including soil science, racking barrels, harvesting, bottling, and working in the vineyard. While At Justin, it allowed me to participating in the Aspen Food & Wine Show, The Monterey Wine Festival, Bite of Los Angeles, San Francisco and the Central Coast Wine Classic.

C.H.E.F

C – CULINARY

Committed to the art of perfecting the craft of cooking.

H - HEIGHTENED BY

A love for what I do, a passion for food, and innovation using various cooking techniques.

E - ENDLESS PURSUIT

Of creating a lasting memory while never settling for just what I know.

F – FOOD

That is inspired by local organic ingredients, seasons, and surroundings.

My Restaurant Core Values

PASSION

Passion is the reason we do what we do…it’s what drives us every day. It’s a funny thing, because people can tell when you’re not being genuine…they know when you are not passionate. It shows. If you love what you do, you put everything into it.

Harmony

In the restaurant business, everyone has to work together. There needs to be harmony in your team. You may not like someone, but we all have to work together to get the job done. Also, harmony in the literal sense–meaning the harmony of food and wine.

Imagination

We like to have fun! We don’t take things too seriously, and I have always tried to promote creativity and innovation. I want my cooks to color outside the lines and have a good time. That’s where some of our best ideas come from.

Caring

This is so important–not just for the restaurant, but for life. You need to care for yourself, care for your team, care for your guests, care for your community. If you don’t care, why should anyone else?

Courage

I really believe it takes courage to do what we do, to admit your faults and to know there’s always something we can do to be better. To stand up and admit you can do better takes a lot of guts.

Humility

We don’t take ourselves too seriously. I want my team to be humble–to appreciate and listen to others. We work as a team and I want people to accept they don’t know everything. It’s okay to mess up, as long as you learn from it. I also want my team to know that everyone is important, no matter who you are. The dishwasher is just as important as the executive chef–everyone plays a role in how the restaurant runs. Without one person, it doesn’t run right.

Ownership

Ownership means to take ownership and to do your job–not just for yourself, but for the company as a whole. We’re all working towards the same end goal.