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Chef Chris Simons
From preparing traditional recipes with his mother to biodynamic farming with his father, Chris Simons’ passion for cooking is firmly rooted in family. At nine years old, he began assisting his mother in the kitchen, making Italian savories, pastries, and candy for his Italian family’s holiday celebrations. By age 15, a serendipitous apprenticeship with a renowned Italian restaurant near his hometown in Orange County, California affirmed his aspirations toward a culinary career.
After three years learning from professional chefs in commercial kitchens as a high school student, Simons attended and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He returned to the Italian restaurant back home as junior sous chef, then moved on to sous chef roles with restaurants in Seattle, Washington and a private country club in New Hampton, New
York.
Along the way, his father’s family farm in Washington State temporarily drew him away from the kitchen and into the world of biodynamic farming. He then brought his keen interest in developing quality ingredients to Seattle’s landmark fine-dining restaurant, Canlis, where he served as sous chef for two years.
In 2017, Chef Chris joined The Resort at Pelican Hill as sous chef for Andrea Ristorante. Now at the helm of the Resort’s signature Italian restaurant, he leads a dedicated team of culinary professionals in presenting traditional Italian favorites featuring the finest local, seasonal ingredients.
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