know who you are going to meet next. Inspiring Childhood Memory Riding on our four-wheeler with my dad picking avocados on the ranch. Passions Outside the Kitchen I am your typical Southern California boy. I love to surf, skate and snowboard, plus go running, hiking and cruising around on my beach cruiser. Food Trend That Needs to Die Already Tater tots and bacon-wrapped food. Couldn’t Be Paid to Eat Monkfish liver. I tried it once and that was enough. The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe 5951 Linea Del Cielo, Rancho Santa Fe, 858.756.1131 Azuki Sushi 2321 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill, 619.238.4760 Davanti Enoteca 1655 India St., Little Italy, 619.237.9606 Underbelly 750 W. Fir St., Little Italy, 619.269.4626 Cowboy Star 640 10th Ave., East Village, 619.450.5880 Bankers Hill 2202 Fourth Ave., Bankers Hill, 619.231.0222 Prepkitchen 1660 India St., Little Italy, 619.398.8383 Sab-E-Lee 2405 Ulric St., Linda Vista, 858.650.6868
Robert Ruiz Few people know the north coastal
town of Oceanside better than Robert Ruiz. The executive chef of Harney Sushi Oceanside was also born in Oceanside and spent his time growing up in Oceanside and nearby Vista. The avid surfer rarely leaves the kitchen but describes his perfect day in San Diego as “the rare combo of a day off during Santa Ana season— booming surf, howling offshores and no crowds. The beaches are gorgeous, and the sunsets are tangerine and violet. It’s sensory overload.” Menu Overview We've set a new standard with fully sustainable sushi and hot side menu sections that cover pure sushi tradition and progressive West Coast cuisine. Local Hidden Gem I love The Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen. Go-to Comfort Food Ramen. Food Trend That Needs to Die Already Serving endangered species on the menu. All-time Favorite S. D. Destination Definitely Balboa Park; I have great childhood memories of the zoo, the museums, the architecture. My mom would take me down to Balboa Park and we would sit and paint different areas of the park in watercolor. Those memories to me are sacred. Inspiring Childhood Memory Growing up, my mom's house was in Vista, and I remember walking to the bus stop and always picking fruits or veggies on the way. I remember the smell of avocado blossoms, eating pomegranate, and staining all my hands and clothes. In the foothills, within one square mile I could find lemon, lime, orange, tangerine, blackberry, avocado, squash and even carrots growing in the backyard. The strawberry fields went on forever. Passions Outside the Kitchen I surf when I can and try
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to see my family, but I'm obsessed with work. No days off for me; I'm a sushi chef and I work like one. In Japan, a normal work schedule for a sushi chef is 28 days a month with only two days off, and you do it with great honor. I'm constantly trying to better myself. Harney Sushi Oceanside 301 Mission Ave., Oceanside, 760.967.1820 The Flying Pig Pub & Kitchen 626 S. Tremont St., Oceanside, 760.453.2940 Balboa Park 1549 El Prado, Balboa Park, 619.239.0512
Katherine Humphus This Bankers Hill resident wears three hats … wait, make that two toques and one pair of skydiving goggles. As the executive chef of both BO-beau Kitchen + Bar in Ocean Beach and 100 Wines Hillcrest—and a certified pro skydiver—Katherine Humphus clearly has no fear of diving into new adventures. Known for her approachable French cooking and killer Croque Madames, she grew up eating burritos on the Mission Beach boardwalk.
Table 926's Matt Richman (above); Katherine Humphus and her signature pizza topped with a fried egg (below).
Favorite Dining Spots I'm a glutton! Among many favorites, I love Emerald Chinese Seafood Restaurant for dim sum, Bronx Pizza, C-Level, and Whisknladle. Favorite Local Hidden Gem I love Soltan Banoo. I discovered this place when I was vegan and keep coming back—even though I am the world’s biggest carnivore now. I love the family-owned-and-operated feel. All-time Favorite S.D. Destination Sunset Cliffs. Passions Outside the Kitchen Skydiving and punk rock. That's not a joke. Couldn’t Be Paid to Eat I'm a total wuss. There's a lot. Starting with eyeballs. BO-beau Kitchen + Bar 4996 W. Point Loma Blvd., Ocean Beach, 619.224.2884 100 Wines Hillcrest 1027 University Ave., Hillcrest, 619.491.0100 Emerald Chinese Seafood Restaurant 3709 Convoy St., Kearny Mesa, 858.565.6888 Bronx Pizza 111 Washington St., Hillcrest, 619.291.3341 C-Level 880 Harbor Island Drive, Harbor Island, 619.298.6802 Whisknladle 1044 Wall St., La Jolla, 858.551.7575 Soltan Banoo 4645 Park Blvd., University Heights, 619.298.2801
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