David Kinch
David Kinch | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 4, 1961 |
| Occupation(s) | Chef, restaurateur |
| Known for | Manresa, The Bywater, Mentone, dean of the International Culinary Center |
David Kinch (born April 4, 1961) is a renowned American chef and restaurateur. He was the proprietor of Manresa, a distinguished Los Gatos, California establishment that earned three Michelin stars in 2016. Kinch’s culinary style, rooted in California cuisine, is heavily influenced by French, Catalan, and Japanese traditions. In the same year, he inaugurated a second restaurant in Los Gatos named The Bywater.
Manresa gained accolades such as inclusion in the World's 50 Best Restaurants by Restaurant Magazine, recognition among America's Top 50 Restaurants by Gourmet, and a four-star rating from the San Francisco Chronicle. Kinch holds the position of dean at the International Culinary Center, originally founded as the French Culinary Institute in 1984. His honors comprise the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef award for the Pacific region and being named GQ’s Chef of the Year in 2011.
Career
After graduating from Johnson & Wales University in 1981, Kinch began his professional journey in New York City at Hotel Parker Meridian and later advanced to executive chef at La Petite Ferme. In 1984, he trained under Marc Chevillot at Hotel de la Poste in Beaune, France.
By 1985, Kinch had joined "The Quilted Giraffe" in New York City, where he rose to the role of management chef. He subsequently collaborated with Jeffrey Patterson at Mount Eden Vineyards in California during the production of the 1988 Chardonnay vintage. His experience also includes tenures at Hotel Clio Court in Fukuoka, Japan, as well as San Francisco’s Silks and Ernie's restaurants.
Kinch spent two years refining his craft across Europe with esteemed chefs such as Dieter Müller at Germany’s two-star Schweizer Stuben; Marc Meneau at the three-star L'Esperance in Burgundy, France; and Pedro Subijana at Spain’s Akelarre.
In 1995, together with Aimee Hébert, Kinch launched Sent Sovi, a bistro-style restaurant located in Saratoga, California, which they operated for seven years.
He established Manresa in Los Gatos in 2002. Although initially receiving limited attention, it was locally celebrated as "a culinary dream venue for those who take food seriously." With encouragement from chef Thomas Keller, Kinch acquired the former Village House site. Manresa ceased operations in December 2022 but was revived in 2024 under the name "Ritual at Manresa," featuring month-long residencies by chefs holding Michelin stars.
In 2020, Kinch introduced Mentone, a French-Italian dining establishment situated in Aptos, California.
Cookbook
In October 2013, Kinch released a comprehensive 328-page cookbook titled Manresa: An Edible Reflection, co-authored with Christine Muhlke. The volume features photography by Eric Wolfinger and an introduction penned by Eric Ripert, owner-chef of Manhattan’s seafood restaurant Le Bernardin.
Television
Kinch appeared as a guest judge alongside acclaimed sommelier Andre Mack on episode 4 ("Daring Pairings") of season one of ABC’s reality series The Taste (aired February 12, 2013). Additionally, he served as a guest judge on seasons 11 and 15 of Top Chef.
Together with Gabrielle Hamilton, Kinch was featured in season four of The Mind of a Chef. Their collaboration earned them the 2016 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Culinary Host.
Critical reception
In a 2005 article for the London Observer, food critic Jay Rayner identified Kinch's 26-course tasting menu at Manresa as the standout dining experience of 2004, propelling Kinch to international recognition as one of the leading chefs of his era.
Anthony Bourdain commended Kinch’s culinary creations for their "exceptional inventiveness combined with thoughtful execution," emphasizing the dishes' understated presentation and remarkable flavor, describing Kinch as "truly distinctive."