Heith Pino, joins L’Auberge Carmel, from Savannah, GA, where he was Hotel Manager at The Drayton Hotel. He was responsible for all operations including overseeing the property's 50 rooms/suites and four food & beverage outlets. Heith has extensive experience in luxury hotel management, most recently,General Manager of Hotel Ella in Austin, TX, a boutique property at the doorstep of The University of Texas. He was responsible for overseeing all operations including 47 rooms/suites, five food & beverage outlets, and 5,000 square feet of event space.
Prior to that, Heith has worked at Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, TX, and Ocean House, Relais & Chateaux in Watch Hill, RI, both in Director of Rooms positions. Heith, also had the pleasure of working in Napa Valley at Calistoga Ranch, an Auberge Resort, serving in several department head roles. Upon graduating from college, Heith began his career in food & beverage with Four Seasons, travelling and working in some of the best Four Seasons over an early five-year career. Outside of work he enjoys keeping active by working out, running, hiking, and shooting landscape photography.
Justin Cogley joined Aubergine restaurant in January 2011, as Executive Chef-Director he oversees Aubergine and all of L’Auberge Carmel’s culinary programs and directs the focus of all food and beverage operations.
Cogley comes to Carmel by way of Chicago, Illinois, where he was instrumental in opening the Elysian Hotel’s new kitchen as executive sous chef. He previously worked at Charlie Trotter’s critically acclaimed restaurant for four years, claiming the position of chef de cuisine for the last two. As such, he was responsible for menu creation, special events, and extensive instruction and management of the culinary staff.
With delicate interplay between creativity, tradition, and respect for his ingredients, Cogley’s food is deeply unique. His style is a sophisticated balance between innovation and unwavering deference for the finest ingredients he procures. “If I had to describe my food,” Cogley says, “I would say each plate has a purpose.” Cogley’s goal is to inspire guests to enjoy a broad combination of flavors and textures. He may present a diner with a vegetable prepared three ways on his plate but, Cogley says, “each of the flavors will be unique and pure.”
Prior to his career as a chef, Cogley was a professional international figure skater performing with “Disney on Ice.” Traveling and touring with the show for four years in Asia, Australia and Europe, Cogley was exposed to new flavors and cuisines, as well as a myriad of food markets and international techniques. These culinary experiences confirmed his passion for food, travel, and good wine, and when he returned to the United States, he enrolled at the Western Culinary Institute and began working in select restaurants in Portland, Oregon. After graduating with top honors in 2005, he launched his culinary career on the team at Charlie Trotter’s.
Under the direction of Chef Cogley and his team, Aubergine has enjoyed substantial acclaim. In 2015 & 2016 they were nominated for two James Beard Foundation awards including Best Chef, West and Outstanding Service. 2014 & 2015 saw Aubergine earn Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence and Forbes Travel Guide’s highest Five-Star rating recognizing excellence in restaurants. Also in 2014 L’Auberge Carmel was named Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards as a Top 100 Hotels Overall and one of the Top Resorts in the Continental United State. In 2013, Cogley was awarded the prestigious title of Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux, joining an esteemed list of internationally celebrated chefs and Food & Wine magazine named Justin Cogley “Best New Chef”.
Jason Balestrieri is executive chef of Cantinetta Luca, Carmel’s popular and bustling neighborhood trattoria. Appointed to the position in 2021, Balestrieri offers the pure flavors of authentic Italian food in a casual, modern setting. With deep familial roots in Southern Italian cuisine, Chef Balestrieri specializes in handmade pastas, wood-oven baked pizza, unique varieties of house-cured salumi, roasted whole fish and meats served family-style.Growing up in Wisconsin, Balestrieri was steeped in his Italian family’s deep culinary traditions. After receiving his Culinary Arts degree from the Milwaukee Area Technical College, Balestrieri worked at a Milwaukee neighborhood café before moving to the highly regarded Pfister Hotel, where he trained as line and pantry cook.
The sunny skies of California beckoned, however, and Balestrieri moved to Los Angeles in 1993, accepting a position at Pinot Bistro under chef/ founder Joachim Splichal and Executive Chef Octavio Beccera. Dedicating the next five years to Twin Palms in Pasadena, Balestrieri advanced from Sous Chef to Chef de Cuisine under chef/owner Michael Roberts, and finally to Executive Chef at the Twin Palms in Valencia. In 2000, Jason’s association with Joachim Splichal evolved when he accepted a position as lead line cook at Los Angeles’ acclaimed Patina. He was quickly promoted to Sous Chef for Splichal’s Cafe Pinot, and for three years worked as Executive Chef at Pinot Hollywood. Ultimately, Jason became Executive Chef at Splichal’s Nick and Stef’s Steakhouse, where he assumed complete responsibility for all kitchen operations of the 250-seat restaurant while focusing on it’s In-House Dry-Age beef program.
During his time with Splichal, Balestrieri was introduced to David Fink, a close friend of Splichal’s and owner of Cantinetta Luca and L’Auberge Carmel. Balestrieri became Executive Chef at Cantinetta Luca in 2006 and after an 11 year stint, left in 2017 to open The Meatery in Seaside as the Monterey Peninsula’s only independent Butcher Shop. In early 2021, Jason returned to Carmel as Chef of the newly opened Village Gem restaurant, offering a small but eclectic “New American” menu. Returning as Executive Chef of Cantinetta Luca in Sept. 2021, Chef Jason intends on honoring the past with signature items, but also plans to allow the menu to evolve utilizing the bounty of local ingredients along with the very best that Italy has to offer.
Michael’s restaurant career had never been planned. Post college, he moved to New Orleans on a whim and stumbled into restaurant work. After a not-so-great interview with a lacking resume in hand, he was fortunate that the hiring team at Muriel’s Jackson Square gave him an opportunity as a food runner. Michael somehow quickly climbed the ranks -- to server, manager, and then assistant general manager. As a manager, Michael was taken under the wings of the general manager and owner, investing their time and knowledge into helping him grow. He was soon delegated the wine program, and became responsible for the 300 plus label wine list.
After six years in the south, Michael sought for new challenges in new environments; he impulsively turned his sights to Portland, Maine. Drawn in by the booming food and beverage scene of the small city, he packed his car and began driving north. Michael joined the fine dining establishment Five Fifty-Five and soon became the Director of Operations for their modest restaurant group. While there he continued his own development within the beverage world and received his Sommelier certification recognized by the Court of Master Sommeliers. He remained in Maine for two years, but ultimately decided it was time to relocate back to California and make up for lost time with his family. After returning and following a year hiatus from the restaurant world, Michael eagerly jumped at the opportunity to join Cantinetta Luca and the celebrated team of the Mirabel Hospitality group.
Gillian Bryson came to us in a circuitous route: Originally from California but having been raised in the UK, she gained an appreciation for travel and hospitality from an early age. It was her creative side that she pursued, though, earning a BS in Communication & Design with a Business minor from CSUMB. The happy marriage of her personal and professional interests combined ideally when she became the Graphic Design & Social Media Manager for all of Mirabel's properties.
She is involved in every step of the creative process and sees through to execution both print and digital collateral that is used in advertising and social media. She also implements menu design, works closely with all managers on proposals and presentations, and is part of the executive committee lending her perspective to the guidance and vision of the company, which includes GourmetFest of which she is an integral part of the preparation and the operation. "I always thought that I would have to compromise between my desire to create and my interest in the hospitality business, but my position provides an outlet and exposure for both," says Bryson.
Lisa Maughan serves as Mirabel Hotel and Restaurant Group's Human Resources Manager bringing over 10 years of HR experience to the team. Before MHRG, she managed the HR functions for a mid-sized private company managing employee relations, benefits, payroll, new hire onboarding, and terminations. Lisa believes that challenges make life interesting, but overcoming challenges is what makes life meaningful. Connecting the employee in meaningful ways to the business allows for the continued growth of both. She enjoys staying connected with her five kids over good food and camping across California.
After receiving her MS in Math and MBA in Operations, Terry enjoyed a long career with IBM in both marketing and manufacturing divisions. Relocating from Florida to California, Terry created a consulting business around Strategic Planning and Development/Outreach for nonprofits. Her third career came when Terry joined Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur, California as Accounting Manager for the restaurant, café and gift shop. She worked for the Fassett Family for many years before joining the Mirabel Hotel and Restaurant Group in Carmel, California as Accounting Manager in 2016. Terry has trekked in Nepal and Patagonia and has her sights on the Dolomiti and northern Greece in the near future. She also volunteers many hours for the local community nonprofits.