Most would jump at the chance at having an array of fresh ingredients grown just outside their kitchen door. For
Executive Chef Jamie West, this dream is a reality. On the beautiful, serene property of
Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, a 5-Diamond luxury resort tucked in the Ojai Valley just north of Los Angeles, Chef West grows a two-acre
Chef's Garden. This garden provides fresh herbs, fruits, salad greens and other vegetables for what he describes as "
cuisine inspired by the bounty and driven by the season."
This garden, as well as other locally grown foods, is what
inspires the seasonal menus Chef West creates for not one, but all four of the resort's restaurants.
"Having a garden allows us to have produce that is at its peak freshness, that is the best! Shopping at the farmers market keeps you in touch with the season and what is available locally."One of six children, Chef West grew up in Tucson, Arizona, and credits his family kitchen for his culinary roots. "
Growing up in a large family was fun, and dinner was always interesting. My mom would let each of us pick a night on the weekends, and she would fix our favorite."
Fresh, seasonal ingredients also served as a foundation for Chef West's future culinary success. "
I remember going to my grandparent's house, having tomatoes and corn grown in their garden. To this day, whenever I smell a tomato on the vine, I think of that experience. The corn was so sweet - we would make a mess eating it, but it was delicious. I have tomatoes in the [Chef's] garden. Having a garden here is a great inspiration for me."A graduate of the
Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, Chef West's successful career includes positions held at
L'Auberge in Del Mar, CA, the
Silverado Resort in the beautiful Napa Valley, CA and the 5-Diamond
Mayflower Inn in Washington, CT. Prior to joining Ojai Valley Inn, Chef West harvested an organic vegetable, fruit and herb garden on the property at
San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, CA.
This fall, Chef West was honored as the guest chef at the
James Beard House in New York, his second appearance at the center of culinary excellence. His culinary work has also been prominently featured in
Bon Appetit, The Wall Street Journal, Sunset Magazine, Art Culinaire, Appellation magazine, as well as an appearance on
CBS' "The Early Show."
One of Chef West's proudest experiences was working with the acclaimed
Julia Child.
"She would often come to the restaurant and I would occasionally spend time at her apartment in Montecito discussing food or talking about upcoming events. I went to Carmel with her for the Masters of Food & Wine where we did a demonstration together. I did the work while she talked. When people would come up to her and talk to her, I was amazed at how humble she was. She never felt that she was too busy or too famous to talk to anyone. I think that she probably had more influence on cooking in America than anyone else ever has."This month Chef West will pay homage to Julia Child in a special event entitled
Julie, Julia & Jamie. "The event will feature recipes from Julia Child, with Julie Powell [author "
Julie & Julia"] talking about her experience as she cooked her way through the book. I will be doing most of the actual cooking along with my staff here at the Inn."
Another recent event on our featured chef's property, the
Celebrity Chef Classic, sponsored in part by
California Olive Ranch, was a golf and dining experience benefiting
Share Our Strength. Chef West was joined by acclaimed chefs
Todd Gray,
Ming Tsai,
Alan Wong and
Budi Kazali.
"The Celebrity Chef Classic was great. It was an honor and a treat to host this event. It was fun to have all of them in the kitchen. We all did our own dishes, but came together to help each other out as well. There was a great camaraderie and interaction both in the kitchen as well as on the golf course. There was defiantly some friendly competition, especially on the golf course."Back in the resort's kitchen, West's seasonally driven menu of modern American selections is complimented by using bold, exciting flavors. "
I use EVOO on my dishes to finish and to give flavor to a dish without using a heavy sauce. Everything from salad and vegetables to fish and steak. I think that a good quality EVOO adds great flavor to almost anything." His most interesting use of EVOO?
"Avocado and EVOO Sorbet served with Tomato Gazpacho, Basil and EVOO Sorbet served with a strawberry tart. EVOO Polenta Pound Cake with balsamic-marinated strawberries." All sound simply delightful. Anyone have a spoon?
We can look forward to the spring 2010 debut of Chef West's H
erb Garden Caf�. And, in the meantime, if you need a sophisticated escape to be pampered by casual elegance, start your new year off right by visiting Chef West in person at
Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. Your body, mind and taste buds will thank you.