A vacationer’s dream and a resident’s paradise, the little town of Los Olivos offers art galleries, fine dining, and lots of winetasting, as well as quiet neighborhoods, a post office, and a well-stocked market. In the heart of downtown, within the embrace of Fess Parker’s renowned Wine Country Inn and Spa, the cozy Restaurant Marcella dishes up gourmet fare to locals and out-of-towners alike.
Formerly the Wine Cask, Restaurant Marcella first opened its doors in June 2007, when the building’s owners, Fess and Marcy Parker, reclaimed the space after the sale of the previous eatery. Demonstrating their commitment to the enterprise, they lent Mrs. Parker’s name to the restaurant and set about creating memorable dining experiences in a French country setting.
Recently, the Parkers announced the arrival of Chef Ron Stewart, 39, a culinary whiz charged with updating the menu and renewing the emphasis on seasonal fruits, vegetables, and seafood.
“It sounds over-simplified,” Stewart said, “but all cuisines—and I’ve learned Italian, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Mexican, Californian, and others—succeed if you focus on fresh local ingredients.
“The Santa Ynez Valley has extraordinary wines, free-range meats, and fabulous produce,” he added, “and it’s all here in our back yard.”
An alumnus of Santa Barbara’s San Marcos High School, Stewart explored a childhood dream to become a professional cook by dabbling in the culinary arts at the school’s café. After graduation, he found kitchen work at the Inn at Morro Bay, which led to enrollment in New York’s Culinary Institute of America two years later.
Stewart spent two years mastering his craft and graduated in 1999. A post-commencement trip took the young man to the Netherlands, where he apprenticed in—of all places—the kitchen of an Italian restaurant.
“It was a great experience being exposed to European culture, cooking methods, and ingredients,” Stewart said.
Back on the Central Coast, he started a catering company in Paso Robles, and in 2001, opened the popular Ristorante Mare Blu in Baywood Park. But the highway kept calling, and five years later he headed to the Caribbean as a corporate executive chef with a company that operated five upscale restaurants offering a variety of Italian, Caribbean, Asian, American, and French dishes.
Later, a seasonal stint as a private chef in Cabo San Lucas ended just in time for Stewart to head north and step in as chef at Restaurant Marcella. With his wealth of colorful experiences, it’s a safe bet that the new hire will infuse the dining room with a lively, international flair.
“I like simple foods prepared extremely well,” he admitted, “and I’ve always had an interest in cooking, even before high school. I just knew that was going to be my career.”
Setting up shop in the Santa Ynez Valley, just a few miles from where he spent his formative years, Stewart feels like he’s finally come home. Due in large part to his culinary background and catering experience, he’s found a perfect fit with Restaurant Marcella, where he’ll help clients plan menus for receptions and private parties, as well as create memorable dishes for the dining room.
New this summer, Restaurant Marcella features a Film Noir Dinner series running Friday nights through August. Join the fun on the outdoor patio where you’ll enjoy cinematic classics like Sullivan’s Travels (Aug. 22) and
It Happened One Night (Aug. 29) projected on a courtyard wall.
Each film night, Chef Stewart creates hors d’oeuvres, a la carte menus, and a three-course prix fixe meal to mirror the movie’s theme. He also will gladly suggest wines—by the bottle or glass—that will bring out the best in the food.
Inside the dining room, the chef offers nightly specials that allow him the freedom to experiment with local ingredients and present them in creative, mouthwatering ways. As he explores the savory possibilities, he’ll undoubtedly add a distinctive touch to the restaurant’s famed wine country cuisine.
From 1998 to 2003, the Parkers operated the Vintage Room, a restaurant in the same spot on Los Olivos’ Grand Avenue. With their return last year to the business of fine dining, the two are confident that, with their talented new chef, fine location, and farm fresh ingredients, Restaurant Marcella is ready to win the hearts and palates of both locals and visitors alike.
INFOBOX: Park yourself here
Restaurant Marcella at Fess Parker’s Wine Country Inn and Spa is located at 2860 Grand Ave., Los Olivos. The restaurant is open Monday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., 11 a.m. to 2:30, and starting at 5:30 p.m. for dinner. Sunday brunch is 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday night movies begin at 8:30 p.m. For more information, call 688-7788 or visit www.fessparker.com.
RECIPE:
Salad of baby spinach, candied bacon, gorgonzola, and toasted pumpkin seeds with pomegranate vinaigrette
(from Chef Ron Stewart, Restaurant Marcella)
Mix 4 handfuls baby spinach, 1/2 C. gorgonzola, and pomegranate vinaigrette in a salad bowl. Top with candied bacon and 1/4 C. toasted pumpkin seeds.
Serve immediately, as spinach will wilt. Makes 4 salads
Candied bacon
Coat 8 slices thick-cut bacon with 1 cup brown sugar and bake at 400 degrees F. until brown and crispy.
Pomegranate vinaigrette
Immediately before mixing into salad, blend together 1/4 C. pomegranate molasses (a thick syrup of sugar, lemon juice, and reduced pomegranate juice), 1 T. Dijon mustard, 3/4 C. extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Marcella Restaurant has already won the palate of K. Reka Badger. Contact her at rekabadger@hotmail.com.
This article appears in Aug 21-28, 2008.