I grew up in a small village outside Lyon, where my grandmother taught me that the best meals come from respecting your ingredients. After training at Le Cordon Bleu and spending years in Parisian kitchens, I moved to San Francisco and fell in love with California's farmers markets and wine country. Now I cook the food I wish my grandmother could taste—French technique with California abundance, where a perfect roast chicken might come with Meyer lemon and wild fennel instead of tarragon.
Recipes
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Pan-Roasted Rack of Lamb with Blistered Early Apricots & Pistachio Mint Gremolata
Spring in California means the days get warmer and the early stone fruit starts showing up at the farmers' market. I love pairing the rich, savory depth of pan-roasted lamb with the tart, sun-kissed sweetness of blistered apricots and jammy shallots. Finished with a vibrant pistachio gremolata instead of a heavy demi-glace, it's a dish that feels like a Parisian bistro teleported to Big Sur.
Golden Pan-Roasted Chicken & Baby Artichokes with Meyer Lemon Pan Sauce
This is the dish I make when the evenings finally stretch out and the California sun dips low over the patio. We are taking my two absolute favorite spring ingredients—baby artichokes and perfectly crisped chicken thighs—and pan-roasting them until they are caramelized and tender. The magic happens when we deglaze all those gorgeous, savory pan drippings with a splash of natural white wine and bright Meyer lemon to create a glossy, butter-mounted sauce that demands to be eaten outside.
Pan-Seared Steelhead Trout Amandine with Blood Orange & Marcona Almonds
Amandine is a French bistro classic that I absolutely adore, but we're giving it a vibrant West Coast update. We're swapping traditional white fish for meaty, beautiful Steelhead trout, and trading standard slivered almonds for salty, buttery Marcona almonds. Toss in some jewel-like blood orange segments, and you have a pan sauce that's nutty, bright, and completely irresistible.
Charred Tomato & Rosé Mussels with Avocado Rouille
Some people build a broth for mussels with heavy cream. I think that's like wearing a wool sweater to the beach. Out here, we want sunshine in the bowl. This is a vibrant, sunset-hued take on classic moules marinières. We build an intensely flavorful broth by blistering early summer tomatoes, deglazing with dry California rosé, and blooming a heavy pinch of saffron. The surprise? We skip the traditional egg-yolk mayonnaise and serve it with a luscious, garlic-spiked avocado 'rouille' for dipping your crusty baguette.
Salade Frisée Californienne with Warm Meyer Lemon Emulsion
I adore a classic Parisian Salade Lyonnaise, but sometimes a heavy bistro lunch puts you straight to sleep under the California sun. My West Coast answer? I keep the gorgeous, slightly bitter frisée and the essential soft-poached egg, but I swap heavy lardons for crispy pancetta and blistered sugar snap peas. The magic happens in the pan: a warm, mustardy emulsion built with Meyer lemon and pancetta drippings. Crowned with creamy avocado, this is patio lunch perfection.
Parisian Café Tartine with Jambon, Spring Radishes & Avocado-Dijon Butter
There is nothing that transports me to a sunny table in the 11th arrondissement faster than thinly sliced Jambon de Paris on good bread. Here, we give the classic bistro tartine a California twist with a whipped avocado-Dijon butter, vibrant shaved spring radishes, and my absolute favorite—a perfectly jammy egg. It's the ultimate lunch to pair with a chilled glass of natural Gamay.
Stories
View allSpring at the Bistro: Pan-Roasted Lamb with Blistered Apricots
Swap the heavy demi-glace for sun-kissed California stone fruit and a vibrant gremolata. This lamb dish is my love letter to a Parisian spring spent in Big Sur.
May 23, 2026
Golden Pan-Roasted Chicken & Baby Artichokes with Meyer Lemon Pan Sauce
A simple, sun-drenched skillet of crispy chicken and tender baby artichokes, finished with a glossy, effortless Meyer lemon pan sauce.
May 21, 2026
Pan-Seared Steelhead Trout Amandine with Blood Orange & Marcona Almonds
A vibrant California twist on a French bistro classic, trading heavy sauces for bright blood orange, meaty trout, and buttery Marcona almonds.
May 19, 2026
Charred Tomato & Rosé Mussels with Avocado Rouille
Swap the heavy cream for California sunshine with this vibrant, sunset-hued take on classic moules marinières featuring an unexpected avocado rouille.
May 17, 2026