Alderwood Santa Cruz Welcomes New Executive Chef Mikey Adams
Alderwood Santa Cruz is thrilled to announce the appointment of Mikey Adams as new Executive Chef, bringing a fresh and inspired culinary experience to the fine dining downtown restaurant. Chef Mikey Adams' culinary journey has taken him across the globe, with notable experience in kitchens in Scotland, India, and with Michelin chefs throughout Northern California. His return to his hometown of Santa Cruz California marks a full-circle moment as he reunites with the community he loves.
Santa Cruz, CA, June 07, 2024 --(PR.com)-- Alderwood Santa Cruz announces the appointment of Mikey Adams as the new Executive Chef, bringing a fresh and inspired culinary experience to the downtown restaurant. Born in Santa Cruz, Chef Mikey is excited to return to his roots and share his passion for creating delicious food with his hometown community.
Chef Mikey Adams' culinary journey has taken him across the globe, with notable experience in kitchens in Scotland, India, and with Michelin chefs throughout Northern California. His return to Santa Cruz marks a full-circle moment as he steps into the role of Executive Chef at Alderwood Santa Cruz, eager to reconnect with his hometown community and be part of the vibrant local dining scene.
“We have an abundance of amazing ingredients,” says Adams. “I’m stoked to collaborate with local producers to bring their finest to our kitchen.” Chef Mikey’s menu at Alderwood will reflect his commitment to crafting dishes that are both cohesive and refined, with a focus on celebrating the local bounty and embracing seasonality for peak freshness and flavor. His love for live fire cooking will be prominently featured. “Respect the ingredients,” he emphasizes. “If you overwork them, they lose their soul.”
Chef Mikey’s leadership style is rooted in integrity and respect for his team. With extensive experience as an Executive Chef and in fine dining, he has honed his skills in creating a positive, collaborative, and solution-oriented kitchen environment. “The energy of the kitchen and the dining room is evident on the plate,” says Adams.
Under Chef Mikey’s guidance, Alderwood Santa Cruz aims to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere that feels like home while standing out in the lively downtown dining scene. By focusing on well-designed, consistent execution, Chef Mikey crafts familiar yet surprising dishes. His vision is to provide each guest with an unforgettable meal and experience, rooted in a genuine connection to the open kitchen and the community.
Starting June 14, Alderwood Santa Cruz will be open every Wednesday through Sunday from 5-9 PM at 155 Walnut Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz. Reservations can be made via OpenTable.
Background
Mikey Adams, Executive Chef
Born in Santa Cruz, Chef Mikey Adams launched his culinary career right after college. His passion for cooking was ignited during his immersive fine dining experiences in Edinburgh, Scotland. His journey took him to India before eventually bringing him back to his hometown, where he began working at Gayle’s. He met Sarah, his wife of 13 years, at Soif while having dinner after hosting a cooking class for his colleagues and fans from Gayle’s. Mikey and Sarah welcomed both children in Santa Cruz.
Chef Mikey attributes his success to working with exceptional chefs across the region. Chef Mikey worked for Chef Santos at Soif 2010, which opened doors for him to further his experience in the fine dining scene in Healdsburg and San Francisco.
He maintains a close bond with his mentor, James Beard-nominated Jason Franey, whom he met while working at 1833 in Monterey. During his tenure, the restaurant was named “Best Restaurant in Monterey.” Chef Mikey further honed his leadership skills at Shimo Modern Steak in Healdsburg and at renowned establishments such as One Market, Proper Hotel, Angler, and St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco. Under his leadership, Angler retained its Michelin star.
Mikey is an avid surfer and skater, enjoys making memories with family and friends, and making great food.
Alderwood Santa Cruz
The flagship restaurant of Santa Cruz Sky, Alderwood Santa Cruz opened in 2018 with a vision to create an environment to provide each guest with an unforgettable meal and experience, rooted in a genuine connection to the open kitchen and the community. Alderwood’s mission is to give guests a place to congregate and celebrate life’s special moments by offering the best food, service, and ambiance in Santa Cruz.
Chef Mikey Adams' culinary journey has taken him across the globe, with notable experience in kitchens in Scotland, India, and with Michelin chefs throughout Northern California. His return to Santa Cruz marks a full-circle moment as he steps into the role of Executive Chef at Alderwood Santa Cruz, eager to reconnect with his hometown community and be part of the vibrant local dining scene.
“We have an abundance of amazing ingredients,” says Adams. “I’m stoked to collaborate with local producers to bring their finest to our kitchen.” Chef Mikey’s menu at Alderwood will reflect his commitment to crafting dishes that are both cohesive and refined, with a focus on celebrating the local bounty and embracing seasonality for peak freshness and flavor. His love for live fire cooking will be prominently featured. “Respect the ingredients,” he emphasizes. “If you overwork them, they lose their soul.”
Chef Mikey’s leadership style is rooted in integrity and respect for his team. With extensive experience as an Executive Chef and in fine dining, he has honed his skills in creating a positive, collaborative, and solution-oriented kitchen environment. “The energy of the kitchen and the dining room is evident on the plate,” says Adams.
Under Chef Mikey’s guidance, Alderwood Santa Cruz aims to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere that feels like home while standing out in the lively downtown dining scene. By focusing on well-designed, consistent execution, Chef Mikey crafts familiar yet surprising dishes. His vision is to provide each guest with an unforgettable meal and experience, rooted in a genuine connection to the open kitchen and the community.
Starting June 14, Alderwood Santa Cruz will be open every Wednesday through Sunday from 5-9 PM at 155 Walnut Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz. Reservations can be made via OpenTable.
Background
Mikey Adams, Executive Chef
Born in Santa Cruz, Chef Mikey Adams launched his culinary career right after college. His passion for cooking was ignited during his immersive fine dining experiences in Edinburgh, Scotland. His journey took him to India before eventually bringing him back to his hometown, where he began working at Gayle’s. He met Sarah, his wife of 13 years, at Soif while having dinner after hosting a cooking class for his colleagues and fans from Gayle’s. Mikey and Sarah welcomed both children in Santa Cruz.
Chef Mikey attributes his success to working with exceptional chefs across the region. Chef Mikey worked for Chef Santos at Soif 2010, which opened doors for him to further his experience in the fine dining scene in Healdsburg and San Francisco.
He maintains a close bond with his mentor, James Beard-nominated Jason Franey, whom he met while working at 1833 in Monterey. During his tenure, the restaurant was named “Best Restaurant in Monterey.” Chef Mikey further honed his leadership skills at Shimo Modern Steak in Healdsburg and at renowned establishments such as One Market, Proper Hotel, Angler, and St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco. Under his leadership, Angler retained its Michelin star.
Mikey is an avid surfer and skater, enjoys making memories with family and friends, and making great food.
Alderwood Santa Cruz
The flagship restaurant of Santa Cruz Sky, Alderwood Santa Cruz opened in 2018 with a vision to create an environment to provide each guest with an unforgettable meal and experience, rooted in a genuine connection to the open kitchen and the community. Alderwood’s mission is to give guests a place to congregate and celebrate life’s special moments by offering the best food, service, and ambiance in Santa Cruz.
Contact
Alderwood Santa Cruz
Sam Woods
831-588-3238
alderwoodsantacruz.com
Sam Woods
831-588-3238
alderwoodsantacruz.com
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