Inside San Diego’s Celebrity Chef Scene

San Diego’s culinary identity has long been shaped by its access to local produce, fresh seafood and a laid-back dining culture. That foundation has cultivated an exciting and growing restaurant scene that has steadily gained national and international attention in recent years. A number of acclaimed fine-dining institutions, such as Michelin-starred Addison by William Bradley, Jeune et Jolie and Soichi, sparked that momentum, and in June 2026 Michelin will host its California ceremony in San Diego, further cementing the region’s place on the culinary map.

Alongside this fine-dining recognition, San Diego has a robust community of local chefs and culinary personalities who have helped elevate the city’s profile over the past decade, from national TV regulars and best-selling cookbook authors to acclaimed restaurateurs. Here is a sampling of the chefs and purveyors who have contributed to that visibility, including several who operate restaurants, bakeries and shops that are open today.

Brian Malarkey

Brian Malarkey paved San Diego’s celebrity chef path, lending a face to the city’s culinary scene early on through his time on season three of “Top Chef.” Since that big break, Malarkey has become one of San Diego's most accomplished restaurateurs, operating four acclaimed restaurants across the county: Herb & Wood, a Mediterranean-inspired kitchen; Herb & Sea, an eclectic seafood restaurant; Animae, a modern steakhouse incorporating dishes from Filipino cuisine; and Le Coq, serving a playful take on French cooking. Malarkey also mentors rising talent in the San Diego dining scene, including chef Tara Monsod, executive chef of Animae and Le Coq and a three-time James Beard Award nominee, and chef Aidan Owens, the culinary director at Herb & Wood.

Food Network fans know Malarkey by his frequent appearances as a judge and contestant on “Guy’s Grocery Games,” “Chopped,” “Tournament of Champions,” and “Wildcard Kitchen.” Today, he is the host of “Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out.” Malarkey is also the founder of Chefs Life, a brand of premium cooking oils and products sold in over 4,000 grocery stores nationwide. 

The culinary scene in San Diego has changed dramatically since Malarkey opened Herb & Wood ten years ago. “San Diego’s culinary scene right now is stacked. There is so much talent, from new chefs coming up and pushing boundaries to the heavy hitters who keep raising the bar, like William Bradley, Tara Monsod, Eric Bost, Travis Swikard, and so many others. Even the pop-up scene has this crazy energy. It feels like something new is always happening, and the city has an appetite for it,” Malarkey said. “At the same time, groups like Consortium Holdings [Ironside Fish & Oysters, Seneca Trattoria] have introduced a completely different style of dining that is concept driven, design forward and immersive. That has helped put San Diego on the national map in a new way and expanded what people expect from a night out here.”

“Ten years in, I’m definitely older, but I’m also proud to be part of that evolution. From the beginning, my goal was to build restaurants that act as incubators, spaces where chefs can take risks, grow, and find their voice.”

Full of dynamic energy and never one to sit still, Malarkey continues to add to the San Diego food landscape, keeping us excited for whatever he dishes up. What would he like to see happen next in San Diego’s food scene? “More risk, more collaboration, and more reasons for people to get excited about going out to eat.”
 

Richard Blais

Richard Blais started his culinary career in the world’s most lauded restaurants, including el Bulli, Chez Panisse and The French Laundry, before making a name for himself by winning “Top Chef All-Stars.” He’s gone on to found a culinary consulting company, Trail Blais, author three cookbooks (“Try This at Home” was nominated for a James Beard Award) and continues his television career as the co-host of “Next Level Chef” with Gordon Ramsay and Nyesha Arrington. While his career has spanned some of the country’s most acclaimed kitchens and national television, Blais has also left a lasting imprint on San Diego’s dining scene.

The city was abuzz with excitement when Blais moved to San Diego and co-founded Juniper & Ivy and its sister concept, The Crack Shack, with local restaurateur Michael Rosen in 2014. Although Blais later stepped away from the restaurants’ day-to-day involvement, he still has strong tries to San Diego’s culinary scene. California English in Sorrento Valley is his restaurant concept that brings a Golden State twist to British cuisine, and he is the culinary director for VIP dining at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. Blais is leading a fundraising dinner on May 11 at The Rady Shell, featuring a multi-course meal served alongside a live performance by the San Diego Symphony.

Claudette Zepeda

Claudette Zepeda has described herself as a “border kid,” having grown up in both Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego. Her knowledge and love of Mexican cooking, especially the cuisine’s indigenous ingredients and traditions, is reflected throughout her culinary career. She was nominated as a semi-finalist for a James Beard Award when she led the kitchen at El Jardin in San Diego, and continues to express her distinct culinary voice through television appearances and projects highlighting regional Mexican cuisine. She first gained national attention on Season 15 of “Top Chef,” and has since appeared on “Top Chef Mexico,” “Iron Chef,” and “Tournament of Champions VI.” 

Her company, Chispa Hospitality, is behind Novecientos Grados, a Mexican restaurant inside San Diego International Airport’s Terminal 1, done in partnership with pro skater Tony Hawk. Zepeda is also a regular contributor to Food & Wine, and her first cookbook, “Cooking the Borderlands: Spice and Smoke Between Mexico and the States,” is set to release in June 2026. Artelexia, a boutique in North Park, is hosting a book signing and on June 26. 

Aidan Owens

Originally from Australia, Aidan Owens grew up on a small farm near Byron Bay, where he and his mother raised chickens and ducks, and grew vegetables which they sold at local farmers markets. In addition to spending most days outdoors in the garden, he tended to the animals and learned the art of butchery. He later moved to San Diego where he began his culinary career and gained experience at some of the city's most popular restaurants including Kettner Exchange and Trust.

Today, Owens is the culinary director of Herb & Wood and Herb & Sea. He’s an advocate for sourcing ingredients from local fishers, farmers and food purveyors, and attributes this commitment to sustainability to his upbringing. He said the abundant availability of local seafood is one of the things he find most exciting about San Diego's dining scene. "Chefs are highlighting what is coming out of our waters and working closely with fishermen, and it is getting people excited about what is right in their backyard," he said.

The new season of “Chopped Castaways” is Owens’ first appearance on a national cooking competition, and airs on May 12, 2026.

Claudia Sandoval

A San Diego local, Claudia Sandoval was a longtime home cook before she made headlines by winning season six of “MasterChef.” Since her TV debut she’s appeared on multiple culinary shows, including “Chopped,” “Worst Cooks in America,” and as a judge on “MasterChef Latino.” Her passion for Mexican cuisine is reflected in her cookbook, “Claudia’s Cocina: A Taste of Mexico,” and as executive producer and host of the docuseries “Taste of the Border.” Sandoval splits her time between San Diego and Tijuana, and regularly leads fundraising efforts through charity events and benefit dinners, contributing to initiatives that have collectively raised more than $1 million for nonprofit causes.

Today, Sandoval consults for local restaurants and brands, helps lead major culinary events like the annual Del Mar Wine + Food Festival, and is a content and marketing strategist for San Diego Magazine’s Here We Are Studios. She has a new podcast, “Bitefully,” done in partnership with Immigrantly Media, coming out in June. 

Tommy Gomes

Known as “Tommy the Fishmonger,” Tommy Gomes comes from a long line of Portuguese fishermen in San Diego — his ancestors were tuna fishermen who settled here in the 1890s — and Gomes continued the family tradition by working as a commercial fisherman. In the early 2000s, he joined Catalina Offshore as a fish cutter and became one of the region’s most vocal advocates and educators on the importance of supporting local fishers and sustainable seafood. 

Fans of the Outdoor Channel know Gomes from “The Fishmonger,” where he explores where our seafood comes from while highlighting the men and women who make up the fishing industry. The show’s sixth season premieres on June 8, 2026. Gomes is the founder of TunaVille Market & Grocery, a seafood market in Point Loma offering fresh fish, poke and ceviche, and other specialty foods. The market specializes in locally and sustainably caught seafood, reflecting Gomes’ commitment to supporting the regional fishing industry. Gomes also serves as a judge at the annual I Love Poke Festival, a culinary competition and celebration of the traditional Hawaiian seafood dish, held every May at the historic Bali Hai restaurant.
 

Clement Le Deore

Clement Le Deore opened his patisserie, Desserts by Clement, in Pacific Beach a few years ago, and the shop is popular for both traditional French baked goods and trompe l’oeil desserts that resemble fruits and mushrooms. Le Deore grew up in France and has been baking since high school, and trained with a master pastry chef before working in kitchens throughout France and Australia before settling in San Diego. Le Deore showcased his pastry artistry as a finalist on “Spring Baking Championship” and the most recent season of “The Ultimate Baking Championship Series.” 
 

Cesar Oceguera

Cesar Oceguera was raised in Chula Vista and worked for his family’s catering company in Tijuana. After beginning his culinary career in San Diego at Brian Malarkey’s restaurants, hethen worked in kitchens across the country, including Gordon Ramsey’s Pub and Grill in Vegas, and Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill and Gasroarte Restaurant in New York City. He represented the West Coast team on season two of Food Network’s “Beachside Brawl.” 

Oceguera is the executive sous chef at Sheraton San Diego Resort, where he leads the kitchen at Rumorosa, which specializes in the bold cross-border flavors of Cali-Baja cuisine and carries a wine list showcasing the best harvests from Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California’s renown wine region. 

 

Kevin Templeton  

Another San Diego local, Kevin Templeton attended culinary school in Portland, Oregon, before returning to San Diego and his working his way up in local kitchens. In 2012, he was brought on as executive chef of Barleymash, a Gaslamp Quarter institution for comfort food and gastropub classics made from quality ingredients — even the condiments are made daily in-house. Templeton later appeared on “Beat Bobby Flay” and gained recognition when he became a “Chopped” Champion. 

While Templeton is still affiliated with Barleymash — which emphasizes partnerships with local farms and maintains a composting initiative with Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center —  he is also a partner in the local California-style bagel chain Spill the Beans Coffee + Bagels, and The Smoking Gun and Hasta Manana Cantina.

The original version of this article was by Ann Wycoff.