Jason Balestrieri - Executive Chef

Jason began his culinary career in Wisconsin, receiving his Culinary Arts degree from the Milwaukee Area Technical College. His first job was a prep cook at a neighborhood café in Milwaukee but he soon moved to the highly regarded Pfister Hotel where he trained as line and pantry cook.

The sunny skies of California beckoned however and Jason moved to Los Angeles in 1993, securing a position at Pinot Bistro under chef/founder Joachim Splichal and executive chef Octavio Beccera.

Then for the next five years at Twin Palms in Pasadena, he went from sous chef, to chef de cuisine working under chef/owner Michael Roberts. He was then promoted to the position of executive chef at the Twin Palms in Valencia.

In 2000, Jason’s association with Joachim Splichal continued when he accepted a position as lead line cook at the just remodeled Patina in Los Angeles. He was quickly promoted to sous chef for Splichal’s Cafe Pinot, and then for three years was executive chef at Pinot Hollywood. Ultimately, Jason became executive chef at Nick and Stef’s Steakhouse, another Splichal creation where he assumed complete responsibility for all kitchen operations of the 250 seat restaurant.

During his years in Splichal’s restaurants, he made the acquaintance of Walter Manzke, long time executive chef at Patina. Manzke introduced Jason to David Fink with Jason becoming  executive chef at Cantintta Luca, the Group’s third restaurant, which opened late 2006. In 2008, Balestrieri became chef/partner of Cantinetta Luca.

Most recently, Jason was appointed executive chef at Cantinetta Piero, the restaurant at newly opened Hotel Luca located in Yountville in the Napa Valley.