Traci Des Jardins

Des Jardins was raised on a farm in Firebaugh, California, near Fresno. Her father is of French Acadian descent, and her mother's family is from the Mexican state of Sonora. The Des Jardins' dinner table featured produce from the garden and game from the land in dishes which reflected her family's Mexican and Louisianan-French Acadian heritage. Des Jardins apprenticed at several three-star French restaurants, including La Maison Troisgros, and was executive chef at Joachim Splichal's Patina in Los Angeles. ==Philosophy==

, J. Stacey Sullivan, and Joy Sterling, CEO of Iron Horse Vineyards in 2017 Des Jardins uses locally sourced, organic, seasonal ingredients whenever possible, and prefers sourcing from smaller, sustainable farming and ranching operations. ==Awards==

In 2007, Des Jardins won the James Beard Foundation Award for best chef in the Pacific region. In 1995, she was named the James Beard Foundation's "Rising Star Chef of the Year". She has won Food & Wine magazine's "Best New Chef" title, and San Francisco magazine's "Chef of the Year" award. Jardinière was named Esquire magazine's "Best New Restaurant", and was also nominated as a "Best New Restaurant" by the James Beard Foundation. ==Television appearances==

Traci Des Jardins competed on season 3 of Top Chef: Masters, which debuted April 6, 2011; she was a runner-up. She also appeared on an episode of Iron Chef America in 2005, in which she defeated Mario Batali. Later, she competed in The Next Iron Chef but was eliminated in the first episode. Traci Des Jardins has also appeared as a judge on ''Guy's Grocery Games'' – $12 Meal Showdown. == Restaurants ==

Closed • Jardinière (September 1997 – April 2019), San Francisco • Public House (2010–2024), Oracle Park, San Francisco • Mijita (2010–2015), Oracle Park, San Francisco • Arguello (2014–2021), Presidio, San Francisco • Transit Café (April 2015 – November 2019), Presidio, San Francisco, closed for the construction of the Presidio Tunnel Tops project. • El Alto (2022), State Street Market, Los Altos, California (Vacated in 2023) ·"'Yarrow'" (November 2025- Present), Sugar Bowl Resort, Norden, California ==References==