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TusCA Ristorante Chef Neil Dunn TusCA Ristorante’s concept blends Tuscan cuisine with a lively California approach and super-fresh ingredients. “The restaurant combines two of my favorite things,” Chef Dunn says happily. “We live in the organic capital of the world, after all—and who doesn’t love Italian food?” Created as part of an ongoing $45 million facelift for the Hyatt, TusCA’s light, appealing presence includes an opulent expanse of wood and a gleaming exhibition kitchen with two authentic wood-fired ovens. Diners can watch their meals being prepared amid gorgeous views of the Pebble Beach Company’s championship Del Monte Golf Course. How did this talkative, amiable Brit become a respected chef in the rarefied climes of West Coast cuisine? Born and raised in England, Chef Dunn learned to love food and music from his family. “Mom got me into cooking,” he says. “I’d fix special salads with her favorite Dean Martin record going.” Chef Dunn tells lively, colorful life stories, such as playing percussion in “punk-funk” bands in England and attending 75 Grateful Dead shows in the U.S. “I was a musician first; cooking is my second career,” he cheerfully declares. For a second career, it has been a meteoric one. From humble beginnings washing dishes in both England and San Francisco, Chef Dunn rose speedily through the ranks to land impressive positions within the Hyatt Hotels and Resorts organization. Before taking on his new role at TusCA, he was chef tournée (all-around chef) at another Hyatt property, the prestigious Highlands Inn, Park Hyatt Carmel. Chef Dunn speaks devotedly about his wife, Anna, and their two young children, all born in Monterey Community Hospital. “My family means more to me than anything,” he says, “and I’m also truly passionate about cooking. I believe you can taste love—or the lack of it—in food.” |
