Sophiane Benaouda
Chef de Cuisine, Grand Cafe Bar

For Chef de Cuisine Sophiane Benaouda, cooking is in his blood. Growing up in an entire family of chefs in the culinary hotbed of Lyon, France, he started chopping and frying at the age of fourteen. A series of internships throughout the country, including a stint at the three star Michellon "L'Auberge de L'Eridan" rounded out an education at the Paul Bocuse Culinary School, Chateau du Vivier.

A desire to learn English brought him to the Hyatt Hotel in London upon graduating culinary school in October 1998. He headed the hot section, i.e. the meat and fish, while also learning the importance of banquet organization and menu presentation. Three and a half years later, he packed his bags and traded the hot side of the kitchen for the cold and said good bye to London's wintry weather for the warm beaches of the Caribbean. He developed skills as Chef de Partie at Le Santal in St. Marteens for six months before continuing on his world tour.

An opportunity to serve with Paul Bocuse brought him back to the grill and to Orlando, Florida as the Junior Sous Chef at the Bistrot de Paris where he learned a repertoire of elaborate sauces.

The sirens of Benaouda's native land came calling to come home and that he did as he spent the next three years in France - the first as Sous Chef at Chateau De Valbonne in Cannes and the next two as Executive Sous Chef at the Hyatt Regency in Paris.

As part of a two-month task force to create a new French gastronomic menu, Benaouda trekked over to the Chez Allen in Grands Hills Village, Lebanon, where he managed and trained a kitchen staff on French cooking techniques. Upon completion of the commission, he came back to France to work as the Executive Chef at the Descent International in Meribel.

In the Spring of 2006, California dreaming brought Benaouda to his current locale of San Francisco where he has decided to stay. He acted as an independent consulting chef until early 2008 when he started a position as the Executive Sous Chef at the Intercontinental San Francisco. In November 2008, Chef Benaouda was offered and excitedly accepted his current position at the Grand Cafe.

Benaouda is adding his own style to the Grand Cafe Bar's menu with Southern French classics spun with a lighter twist. His influence is evident in delicate dishes and Provencal flavors such as salt cod beignets, pissaldiere, a tomato cheese terrine with tapenade and even Provencal gin fizz. With his dexterity in pastry and expertise in classic French, Chef Benaouda is also introducing a renewed spin on desserts.

Benaouda lives and breathes the kitchen but in his rare spare time, he enjoys kicking the soccer ball around and brunching in Sausalito.

For all press inquiries, please contact:
Sasha Bernstein with Andrew Freeman & Co.
sasha@andrewfreemanandco.com 415.371.0142