Executive Chef Christian Ojeda has garnered an impressive resume in his culinary career. Back-to-back-to-back Forbes Four-Star ratings for the three years he led the Bernardus Lodge & Spa (Carmel Valley, California) team, along with a Michelin Key nod there in early 2025. Leading luxury dining lineups at Montage Deer Valley, Calistoga Ranch and Encantado Resort. And it doesn’t get much more impressive than stints at illustrious Las Vegas venues like Joël Robuchon and Fleur de Lys.
But as we experienced at a recent media dinner at Laurel Brasserie, Ojeda’s artistry on the plate is as much about dialed-in technique as it is a nod to his own Chilean-influenced and Utahn-born roots. There’s also generously acknowledged and appreciated weigh-in from the kitchen’s well-honed brigade of chefs.
As should be expected from a kitchen firing at the fine-dining calibre of Laurel, the dishes we tried were cohesive, well-balanced, well-executed and well-seasoned. Zingy, bright and earthy notes abounded in a salt-roasted beet salad, showcasing a glorious profusion of fall colors. It takes some confidence to go full protein-on-protein, and pan-seared Scottish salmon perched on a velvety ragout of gigante beans met all the marks, with an artful pile of winter greens keeping it from feeling overly heavy. The fork-tender braised beef short rib with a swoosh of charred carrot purée and a touch of black garlic in the jus reduction was a damn delight to savor, especially alongside a thoughtful pour of Daou Cabernet Sauvignon (2023, Paso Robles).
Photos by Darby Doyle.
Some especially strong pastry technique comes out of The Grand America’s combined kitchens under the leadership of Executive Pastry Chef Xavier Baudinet, as anyone who has appreciated their afternoon High Tea service or perused the selection at the Bonne Vie patisserie counter at Laurel can attest. Pulling out all the stops on presentation for our evening visit, the light and airy apple illusion dessert was a lick-the-plate-clean combination of delicate apple spice fall flavors meeting up with decadent Bavarian cream. A flawlessly fitting end to a fabulous night.
With all of that prestigious culinary credibility under his hat, Ojeda is bringing some serious heat to The Grand America’s world-class dining experiences since taking the helm in July 2025. We can’t wait to see what he and The Grand’s stellar team will be cooking up in the months to come.
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