When I met good-natured Chef Vincent Lessage, I immediately thought of Doogie Howser. He does look a little like the young TV doctor of yesteryear, but it’s more because, at age 30, the Bacara’s executive chef already boasts such a remarkable resume that we should all feel like underachievers.
Vincent was born and raised in Paris, one of the greatest gastronomic cities, and trained at The Ritz Paris and two Michelin three-star restaurants, L’Astrance and Bras, after graduating from the Institut Paul Bocuse in Ecully, France.
He came to the United States to serve as executive sous chef at St. Regis Monarch Beach and then became executive chef of Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach, where he opened two of the city’s only waterfront restaurants, Waterline and A&O Kitchen + Bar. At Bacara, he oversees all of their dining experiences, including their new signature restaurant that will open in the spring of 2016.