One of San Diego’s finest – and most scenic – restaurants is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a monthly series of chef alumni dinners.
From February thru October Georges at the Cove in La Jolla, which is perched high above La Jolla Cove with beautiful views of the spectacular scenery, is holding these special prix fixe events. Combined, the featured chefs have have eight MICHELIN stars.
“Anniversaries come and go every year, of course, and we had always believed it wasn’t necessary to celebrate,” said Operating Partner Trey Foshee. “But George and I felt this one was different. Forty is a big number. It’s a significant milestone that speaks so much to the incredibly hard-working chefs and staff members who have kept Georges a staple not just for the people of La Jolla, but for all of San Diego.
“I believe you can count on one hand the number of legacy restaurants in our city that have been in the same location and under the same ownership for forty or more years,” Foshee said. “We are proud to be one of them, and we can’t wait to welcome back all the great chefs who helped make Georges what it is today.”
Georges opened on August 9, 1984. Originally occupying the first and second levels of the building, Georges opened the rooftop Ocean Terrace in June 1991 to create a three-level ocean view dining destination. The restaurant went on to earn Plate recognition in the MICHELIN guidebook in 2019.
Hauer ran the restaurant for the first 16 years until Foshee was brought on as Executive Chef/Partner, shortly after Foshee received Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chef honors for 1998 while at Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort in Utah. Then in 2016, Foshee took over as Operating Partner along with General Manager Mike Grave and now Executive Chef Masa Kojima.
Reservations are open for the first two events in February and March:https://www.georgesatthecove.com/40-years-dining-series. The remaining dinners can be reserved beginning February 21. All but one take place in the Lowel Level dining room (formerly known as California Modern and now used as a private events space).
Below are the chefs, dates, and times of the series:
February 19 and 20 – Connor McVay and Christine Rivera
San Diego native Connor McVay started as a cook at Georges’ California Modern. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he worked under Chef Wolfgang Puck and Chef Lee Hefter for the better part of a decade, most recently as the Executive Chef of the 5-Star Hotel Bel-Air. Christine Rivera was a cook in California Modern and Ocean Terrace and was then promoted to Executive Chef of Galaxy Taco, Georges’ sister restaurant in La Jolla Shores. She helped transition Galaxy to Sandpiper Wood Fired Grill & Oysters in June 2022 before taking the Executive Chef role at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla.
March 16 – Sam Peters and Stephen Kurpinsky (Level2 bar takeover)
Sam Peters and Stephen Kurpinsky were bartenders, then beverage directors in Georges’ California Modern and then Level2, where they created Neighborhoods of San Diego and Floras of San Diego, a bespoke program to tell the story of San Diego through cocktails. Peters is the owner of SPK Bar Hospitality & Training and Kurpinsky is the U.S. Brand Ambassador for Mr Black Coffee Liqueur.
April 2 – Christopher Kostow
Chef Kostow spent time as a cook in California Modern twice before moving on to run The Restaurant at Meadowood, building it into California’s second three-starred MICHELIN restaurant. Kostow is currently the owner and operator of The Charter Oak Restaurant and Loveski Deli, and operator of Ciccio – all in Napa Valley.
May 7 – Jon Bautista, Brad Chance, and Lori Sauer
Jon Bautista and Brad Chance worked together as Chef and Sous Chef, respectively, in California Modern while Lori Sauer was Pastry Chef. Currently, Bautista is Executive Chef of The Fishery, Chance is Executive Chef of Ember & Rye in Carlsbad, and Sauer is Executive Pastry Chef at Café Monarch in Scottsdale.
June 11 – Stephanie Prida
Stephanie Prida was a pastry cook and pastry chef with Georges and has gone on to manage the pastry teams at MICHELIN three-starred Manresa Restaurant Los Gatos, held the Corporate Executive Pastry Chef position at Major Food Group, and is now working on a new concept while working at Manresa Bread.
July 16 – Elizabeth Murray and Yolanda Santos
Elizabeth Murray worked as a cook and sous chef with Georges before spending time at Noma and WD-50, then as Executive Chef at Sierra Mar at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur. Murray is currently Chef at Littler in Durham, North Carolina. Santos was a pastry chef and has held the same position at One Market SF, Aqua and Aureole in Las Vegas, Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, and Post Ranch Inn. Santos is currently Pastry Chef at Aubergine in Carmel, Calif.
August 19 – Anthony Secviar
Anthony Secviar spent time as a cook in California Modern and now owns MICHELIN one-starred Protégé in Palo Alto. A San Diego native, Secviar spent time in kitchens in Spain, including Akelare and El Bulli, and he was a Sous Chef at The French Laundry for six years before taking the Chef de Cuisine position at Addison (currently MICHELIN three-starred).
October 15 – Pendry San Diego crew
Pendry San Diego’s Brandon Sloan (Executive Sous Chef), Dara Steinrichter (Sous Chef), and Jon Hawkins (Sous Chef) all spent time with Georges as cooks and sous chefs.
Georges is located at at 1250 Prospect Street in La Jolla Village.