Hotel Californian, a mainstay destination in Santa Barbara's bustling Funk Zone neighborhood, will enter the festive season with new talent in the kitchen and several captivating food and wine experiences.
Recent appointments to the hotel’s talented culinary team include Chef de Cuisine Joshua Legrand and returning Executive Pastry Chef Ron Viloria who are collaborating with Executive Chef Travis Watson to infuse inspiring new gastronomic experiences into the hotel’s many dining venues. Legrand spent the last decade as a chef with Boulder, Colorado-based Id Est Hospitality Group, led by James Beard Nominated Chef Kelly Whitaker. During his tenure, Legrand headed several of the group’s kitchens and oversaw high-profile openings including BASTA, BRUTØ and The Wolf's Tailor. Viloria returned to Hotel Californian as Executive Pastry Chef earlier this year and will continue to champion the creation of exceptional baked goods and confections from scratch each day.
The hotel’s consciously expanded culinary team will host several events – in-person and virtually – in the coming weeks. Beyond the kitchen, locals and visitors can now indulge in a reimagined cocktail menu at Blackbird, Hotel Californian’s signature restaurant, and sip on fan favorites at Djinn, the Moroccan-inspired library bar. Additionally, the hotel’s popular tasting room, The Society: State & Mason, has welcomed new Foley Family Wines addition, Silverado Vineyards, to its selection of more than 70 world-class wines.
The hotel’s latest enhancements further its commitment to showcasing Central California as a world-class culinary destination on the American Riviera, providing the exploration and indulgence of a European vacation – without the passport. Located in the heart of the pulsating Funk Zone, bustling with galleries, wineries, and shops housed in converted warehouses adorned with graffiti murals and signature art pieces, Hotel Californian offers visitors easy access to explore the area’s cool factor while enjoying traditional Santa Barbara glamour.
New food and beverage experiences include the following:
Winemaker Dinners at Blackbird (November 17 and December 15; 6 – 8:30 p.m.)
Dishing It Out for Charity at Blackbird and Goat Tree (November through December)
New Cocktail Menu at Blackbird
The Society: State & Mason Welcomes Silverado Vineyards
Tuesdays with Travis
Located 90 minutes from Los Angeles, 20 minutes from the Santa Barbara Airport, and one block from the Amtrak station, Hotel Californian is ideally situated for travelers seeking an iconoclastic getaway. For further information, please visit www.HotelCalifornian.com or call (805) 882-0100.