The Serendipitous Path: How Chef Alex Garcia Found His Home at Los Olivos

May 6, 2025

Meet Our New Executive Chef: When Life (and Serendipity) Had Other Plans

After 30 years of running Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café, we’ve learned that chefs come in all flavors. Some are fiery (okay, most of them), some have egos bigger than our wine selection, and occasionally, just occasionally, you find one who’s simply perfect for your kitchen family.

Enter Chef Alex Garcia.

You know how life sometimes has a funny way of steering you exactly where you need to be, even when you had other plans? That’s Alex’s story. He originally dreamed of being a Marine, but when life handed him a family, his priorities shifted. Then he set his sights on the police force – until a torn ligament said “not so fast.” He even spent a few years in construction, managing a home building project from the ground up (talk about transferable skills!). But the restaurant world kept calling him back, and those connections were too strong to ignore. Turns out, the universe had other plans for our guy.

From Dishwasher to Executive Chef: A Story of Heart and Hustle

The truth is, Alex’s story started way before he picked up his first chef’s knife. As a kid, he learned what real work looks like by helping his parents build their landscaping business. First-generation immigrant work ethic? Yeah, he’s got that in his DNA.

His restaurant journey? Pure Alex. Started as a dishwasher (the most humbling gig in any kitchen, let’s be real) and worked his way up to line cook. Trust us when we say that kind of mobility doesn’t happen because someone likes you – it happens because you earn it.

But here’s where it gets good. Alex’s reputation as that guy who works harder and smarter than anyone else? It opened doors. Other restaurants wanted a piece of that magic. Soon he was overseeing restaurant projects from the ground up, wearing the managerial hat on many occasions – and let me tell you, that hat fits him like it was custom-made.

At one point, Alex even took a detour into construction for a few years, where he managed a complete home build from foundation to finish. (Because apparently mastering just one industry wasn’t enough for this guy!) But those restaurant connections kept calling, and eventually, the food world won him back. Funny how those construction project management skills translate perfectly to running a bustling kitchen, isn’t it?

When Alex gets bored, he doesn’t scroll through his phone – he learns something new. Creates something new. Ask anyone who’s seen him smoke meats (his signature passion) or craft seafood dishes that make locals come back week after week.

Why We’re Over the Moon

Look, we’ve worked with our fair share of “creative geniuses” whose brilliant ideas don’t quite pencil out (sorry, but having the most expensive ceramic plates – and different ones for every dish – just doesn’t work, no matter how fancy it looks). What makes Alex different? Character. Pure and simple.

He’s been our Sous Chef under Chef Brooke, so when Brooke headed to San Francisco, the choice was obvious – Alex was already ready.

What to Expect

Your beloved Los Olivos Café classics? They’re safe and sound. Alex gets it – tradition matters. But he’s also bringing his own flair:

• Get ready for some seriously amazing smoked meats (his secret techniques are… well, they’re staying secret)
• Local seafood that’ll make you wonder why you ever ate anything else
• Continued commitment to our CCOF Certified Organic farm – Alex is thrilled to carry on our farm-to-fork tradition
• The kind of dishes that make sense for wine country but still surprise you

From running a seafood establishment to creating menus for a vegan spot with friends, Alex has done it all. But we like to think he’s finally home.

The Bottom Line

We feel like we’ve won the culinary lottery. Alex’s honesty, work ethic, and creativity are exactly what we’ve been looking for.

Welcome to the family, Chef. We’re thrilled to have you.

The Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café Team