Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas Announces New Executive Chef

Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas and James Beard Foundation Best Chef West semifinalist, Chef Claudette Zepeda, are proud to announce the appointment of Ananda Bareño as executive chef of Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas. Bareño will oversee the day-to-day culinary execution of VAGA, in addition to overseeing the menus for The Pocket Pool & Bar, Coffee Box, special events catering and in-room dining.

Chef Zepeda will assume the role of chef consultant and will continue to be the creative visionary behind the bespoke culinary experiences at Alila Marea Beach Resort, while also furthering her work to champion regional Mexican cuisine within the global culinary community.

An impressive culinary resume

Bareño’s impressive culinary resume began as a Sous Chef at Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego which eventually led her to become Chef de Cuisine at Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa. Since then, Bareño’s more than 25-year career has taken her around the world including posts in France, Costa Rica, Damascus, Syria, and Amman, Jordan, where she spent several years working as Chef de Cuisine for Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

In 2014, Bareño made her way back to San Diego where she used her passion for nutrition and quality food in her role as executive chef of The Kitchen Table in Rancho Santa Fe.

Congratulations to Chef Bareño!

See you there, San Diego!