Photo Credit: Casa Crenn/Montage Los Cabos
DOMINIQUE CRENN, AMERICA’S ONLY THREE-MICHELIN-STARRED FEMALE CHEF, DISHES ON BRINGING HER HAUTE CUISINE TO CABO SAN LUCAS WITH THE LAUNCH OF HER CASA CRENN DINING SERIES — AND SHE DOESN’T PLAN TO STOP THERE.
Photo Credit: Casa Crenn/Montage Los Cabos
On June 15, America’s only three-Michelin starred female chef, Dominique Crenn, kicked off another unique and exciting adventure by bringing her exclusive culinary series Casa Crenn to the Montage Los Cabos, a secluded luxury resort perched on the shores of Mexico between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo. In addition to promoting sustainability and highlighting other top-tier culinary talent (including Crenn’s Mexican-born patissier, Juan Contreras), this epicurean event served as a celebration, honoring the 10th anniversary of her haute San Francisco-based eatery, Atelier Crenn.
We sat down with our culinary ambassador to talk about her sophisticated 10-course menu (which included oysters, crab, abalone and seabass, among other items from the Santa Maria Bay), the ethos behind Casa Crenn, why she’s planning on taking her home away from home on the road and why, now in particular, she plans on celebrating life more than ever (hint: there are wedding bells in her very near future).
Photo Credit: Casa Crenn/Montage Los Cabos
Haute Living: Why did you decide to create Casa Crenn at Montage Los Cabos?
Dominique Crenn: First of all, it’s a beautiful place. But also, my pastry chef is from Mexico, and it was a way of celebrating working together for so many years, as well as the 10th anniversary of Atelier Crenn. [I also love] the community — the people and their craftsmanship. For example, what we wanted to do here was bring the vision of Atelier Crenn but use everything that Baja offers. The plates are from here, the produce is from here. The last time I came, I visited all the farms. This is about a time and place; it is about celebrating where you are and respecting and embracing the culture, which is important to me.
HL: So you’re taking Casa Crenn on the road?
DC: Yes, I’m working with Lexus at the Intersect in New York, and I think we are going to bring a taste of Atelier Crenn there for four months. They’re going to create this whole vibe of Atelier Crenn in New York. The pandemic woke us up and showed us that we need to be open and curious about learning, able to change and better ourselves and the things that we do. It’s not always about being the best chef; it’s about being thoughtful and conscious about the things that we do, and making people happy.
HL: Speaking of being happy, are you still planning your wedding?
DC: I think [my fiancée, actress Maria Bello, and I] are going to get married at our house in L.A. and then we will go to France to celebrate. I’m also looking for a property [there] to do something special. We want to buy a house, but we also want to find a place as a retreat for people to come and hang out, and maybe do a Chef’s Table three times a year to showcase who we are. Atelier Crenn is in San Francisco and it’s going to stay there, but some people may not want to travel for the next couple of years, so I say, “Well, we’re going to come to you.”
HL: Is there anything else you want to share about Casa Crenn?
DC: Yes! We [served] food to a beautiful community of children that are underprivileged [during the event], which made me think of Bob Marley. During an interview, a journalist said to him, “You’re rich. You have houses and cars and a lot of money.” Marley said, “No, this is not being rich. Being rich is about being rich in life, having a heart and giving back to people.” That’s how I feel. Richness is about being able to give back to others. That is what drives me through life.
Photo Credit: Casa Crenn/Montage Los Cabos
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