• Joshua Skenes
• Executive Chef

Joshua Skenes never wavered about his career choice and the food world is continuing to benefit from his decisions. He enrolled in the French Culinary Institute in New York directly after graduating from high school in Jacksonville, Florida and has since thrown himself into the kitchen and his passion. Skenes managed to earn perfect scores throughout his career at the French Culinary Institute while balancing his 5 day a week courses with a full time position in the kitchen of famed Chef, Jean-George Vongerichtten.

After his 2001 graduation, Skenes helped open Troquet Restaurant, a French restaurant and wine bar in Boston Common, and worked under Anthony Ambrose at Ambrosia.

In 2003, at 24, Skenes moved to San Francisco. “I didn’t have a job lined up or any concrete plan, I just knew I wanted to be in San Francisco. It was the perfect decision for me, this is where I belong,” Skenes reflects. Shortly after arriving in San Francisco, Skenes became the Executive Chef at the acclaimed restaurant Chez TJ in Mountain View. The San Francisco Chronicle awarded Skenes 3.5 stars (out of 4) confessing that even before the meat course “Skenes has us under his spell.”

Michael Mina must have agreed. In 2005, Mina asked Skenes to help open Stonehill Tavern at the St. Regis Resort in Monarch Beach. Skenes quickly accepted the task and position as the Executive Chef at Stonehill Tavern. He and his team were awarded 5 stars from the Orange County Register and 3 (out of 4) stars from the Los Angeles Times for his innovative approach to modern American cooking.

After leaving Stonehill Tavern in 2006, Skenes returned to San Francisco and served as consultant on menu and recipe development and overall concept with various restaurants. He has also spent significant time cultivating his own SAISON, inspired by Skenes’ desire to provide delicious meals made with the highest quality products.

“Joshua Skenes, the twenty something wonder chef, dazzled with his exquisite fare” Mercury News

“Pamper yourself with cutting-edge, ultra sophisticated, big city dining, you’ll find all that and more...all courtesy of wunderkind executive chef Joshua Skenes.” Mercury News

“Armed with cooking secrets from some of the best in the business, everything this east coast native touches turns to gold. Joshua Skenes has keen precision and an impressive knack for mixing ingredients.” Mountain View Voice

“Inspired modern American cooking, the flavors and textures are magic.” Los Angeles Times

“Each round of our tasting menu was an experience all in itself, the meal was incredible. this will be one of my most memorable dining moments ever.” Marezone

“Joshua Skenes offers a fine-tuning of American dishes, synonymous with everything thats right about american cooking.” OC Register

“Wunderkind executive chef Joshua Skenes is turning contemporary American cuisine on its head with his delicate flavors.” San Francisco Magazine

“Skenes is a talent worth following”San Francisco Chronicle

• Mark Bright
• Wine Director

Born in Chicago, Mark Bright has been passionate about wine since he went to Europe at the age of 15. At 17, he starting working at Aqua Restaurant in the Bellagio Hotel, Las Vegas, while attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he studied Food and Beverage Management. At UNLV Mark was the President of the Wine Club and helped organize many events to benefit the school. He joined the Bellagio Sommelier team on his 21st birthday, working on the floor at Aqua Restaurant.

In 2004, Rajat Parr, the wine director for Michael Mina’s restaurants, invited Bright to be the opening sommelier for one of the biggest restaurant openings in San Francisco’s recent history – Restaurant Michael Mina. Bright fell in love with San Francisco's diverse culture and cuisine and found many people who shared his passion for food and wine. During his time at Michael Mina, Bright also assisted in the wine programs at many of Mina’s restaurants including Arcadia in San Jose, Sea Blue and Nob Hill at MGM Grand Las Vegas, and Stonehill Tavern at the St. Regis Monarch Beach.

Bright's consulting business has worked with many restaurants and chefs throughout the Bay Area, including, Dosa, Circa, Cosmopolitan, Lingba, Oola, Pampas in Palo Alto, Sushi Groove, Home Restaurant, and 111 Mina. In 2007, Bright opened his first restaurant, Local Kitchen and Wine Merchant in San Francisco, as a co-owner. The development of this location was exciting and revolutionary, combining a wine merchant, wine bar and restaurant. In addition to Bright’s consulting business, he was also a sommelier with the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay, working in the restaurant Novia and the Ritz Carlton’s wine program.

Knowing that the best wine professionals in the industry are ones who know there is always more to learn, Bright continues his exploration and study of wine. His studies and travels have taken him throughout the wine regions of South America, Australia, South Africa, Europe, United States, China, and the sake breweries of Japan.

Wine & Spirits magazine featured Bright as one of the “Best New Sommeliers” in 2005. In 2006, Bright was heralded as a “New Wine Turk” by Wine Spectator.