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 cooking at the Oakland Cafe 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 Pasadena in 1993, securing a position at Pinot Bistro under chef/founder Joachim Splichal and executive chef Octavio Beccera.

Then for five years he was first sous chef, then chef de cuisine at the Twin Palms in Pasadena 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 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, then executive chef at David Fink’s Mirabel Hotel and Restaurant Group, introduced Jason to David Fink with Jason becoming  chef de cuisine at Cantintta Luca, the Group’s third restaurant, which opened late 2006.