Michael Hutchings

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Michael Hutchings (Born 1949) is a professional chef who is best know as the chef/owner of Michael's Waterside in Santa Barbara, California, appearances with Julia Child on the PBS cooking program, Dinner at Julia's and on Cox Television with Jeanne Berg's Cooking Local program.

[edit] Biography

Like many other contemporary American chef's, Michael Hutchings took a job in a restaurant to work his way through college. An accomplished flutist, he planned a musical career. But in the kitchen of Disneyland at the fabled private Club 33, he was apprenticed to Chef Rudolph Stoy and Michael's priorities changed. Michael Hutchings eventually became executive chef of Club 33 then worked under several Los Angeles chefs including James Sly at La Serre (Formerly Chef/Owner at Lucky's in Santa Barbara, California), Jean Grodin, executive chef of L'Orangerie, Los Angeles.

Jean Bertranou, the chef/owner of L'Ermitage restaurant in Los Angeles, suggested Michael Hutchings go to London to work at [Le Gavroche] under the Roux Brothers. In 1978, Michael Hutchings, along with his wife and eight month old child, and modest savings went to London to work at [Le Gavroche]. The Roux brothers were so impressed with his seriousness and ability that after only a few months they promoted him to sous-chef at the then 2 Michelin Starred restaurant and told him that when he was ready for his own restaurant in the United States they would back him financially in a partnership. Three years later, following brief stages in the kitchens of Alain Chapel, the Troisgros brothers and Gaston Lenotre's Le Pre catalan, Michael returned to America.

The result was Michael's Waterside in Santa Barbara, California. During ten years of operation, Michael's Waterside was recognized as a leader in contemporary California-French cuisine. Chef Michael has been called a legend in the March, 2007 edition of Season's Magazine for his role in bringing modern cuisine to Santa Barbara, California in the early 1980s.

After selling the Michael's Waterside in 1993, Chef Michael Hutchings hung his toque at the Santa Barbara Polo Club, Bank of America executive dining room, the Tower Club in Charlotte, Kaiser Grill and St. James in Palm Springs. Chef Michael currently oversees a food consulting and service business in Santa Barbara, California.

[edit] Career Highlights

  • Michael's Waterside listings in Mobile Guide, AAA Guide, Zagat Guide, Gault Millaut
  • Travel Holiday Award 1985 to 1992, award discontinued
  • Distinguished Restaurant of North America Award 1993
  • Press credits with [Time Magazine], [Gourmet Magazine], [Bon Appetit], Chocolatiere and others
  • Guest Chef at [Beard House] in New York 1986 and 1990
  • Guest Chef at [Ahwanee Hotel] in [Yosemite National Park]
  • Special Event Coordinator for KCBX public radio at [Hearst Castle] Historical Monument
  • Chef Coordinator for Central Coast Wine Auction 1992-1997
  • Guest Chef at "Merci Julia" event celebrating Julia Child's 80 birthday in 1992
  • Appeared on "Diner at Julia's" video magazine with Julia Child
  • Charitable fund raising for Red Cross, United Way, Cancer Society, Juvenile Diabetics
  • Cooking video on CNN, NBC, and in France, Germany and Japan
  • Julia Child's 40th Anniversary on PBS Beef Bourguignonne event, 2003 with the [AIWF]
  • Guest chef at Hearst Castle for the Central Coast Wine Classic 2006