Cindy Pawlcyn
Encyclopedia
Cindy Pawlcyn is an American chef best known for the restaurants she opened in the San Francisco Bay Area
and the Napa Valley between 1983 and 2008. Pawlcyn was an early advocate for using local
, sustainable meats and produce in her restaurants. In 2009, Pawlcyn appeared in the first season of Bravo’s "Top Chef: Masters."
business. She earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She took courses at Le Cordon Bleu
and received formal training at La Varenne in Paris before working at the Pump Room in Chicago. She moved to California
in 1980 to take a job at McArthur Park. Pawlcyn left McArthur Park to be the opening chef at Meadowood in St. Helena and then joined Bruce LeFavour at Rose et LaFavour. Pawlcyn collects cookbooks and owns more than 4,000 books in her personal library.
Named for the wild mustard flowers that grow in the wine country every year, Mustards became known for French-trained chef-quality food in a casual setting.
Fog City Diner, San Francisco, opened 1985
When Pawlcyn opened the Fog City Diner in 1985, it became an iconic restaurant because it served critically acclaimed food in a building that looked like an Airstream trailer. Visa filmed an ad about the Fog City Diner.
Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, St. Helena, opened 2003
The restaurant was called Miramonte when it opened in 2003 but Pawlcyn changed the name to Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen within a year.
Go Fish/Brassica, St. Helena, opened 2006
This was the Napa Valley's first sushi
restaurant.
In 2011, the restaurant, committed to sustainability
, took sushi off the menu. Shortly thereafter, Cindy and partner Sean Knight announced that they would be transitioning Go Fish to a Mediterranean restaurant called Brassica, opening in September 2011.
Cindy Pawlcyn also was involved with opening Tra Vigne, Bix, Roti (opened in 1993), Betelnut, and Buckeye Roadhouse. She currently owns and runs Mustards Grill, Go Fish, and Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen.
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
and the Napa Valley between 1983 and 2008. Pawlcyn was an early advocate for using local
Local food
Local food or the local food movement is a "collaborative effort to build more locally based, self-reliant food economies - one in which sustainable food production, processing, distribution, and consumption is integrated to enhance the economic, environmental and social health of a particular...
, sustainable meats and produce in her restaurants. In 2009, Pawlcyn appeared in the first season of Bravo’s "Top Chef: Masters."
Early life
Pawlcyn began working in a Minneapolis cooking school at the age of 13 and while in high school she ran her own cateringCatering
Catering is the business of providing foodservice at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house , or other location.-Mobile catering:A mobile caterer serves food directly from a vehicle or cart that is designed for the purpose...
business. She earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She took courses at Le Cordon Bleu
Le Cordon Bleu
Le Cordon Bleu is the world's largest hospitality education institution, with 35 schools on five continents serving 20,000 students annually. Its primary education focus is on hospitality management and the culinary arts...
and received formal training at La Varenne in Paris before working at the Pump Room in Chicago. She moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1980 to take a job at McArthur Park. Pawlcyn left McArthur Park to be the opening chef at Meadowood in St. Helena and then joined Bruce LeFavour at Rose et LaFavour. Pawlcyn collects cookbooks and owns more than 4,000 books in her personal library.
Professional history
Mustards Grill, Yountville, opened 1983Named for the wild mustard flowers that grow in the wine country every year, Mustards became known for French-trained chef-quality food in a casual setting.
Fog City Diner, San Francisco, opened 1985
When Pawlcyn opened the Fog City Diner in 1985, it became an iconic restaurant because it served critically acclaimed food in a building that looked like an Airstream trailer. Visa filmed an ad about the Fog City Diner.
Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, St. Helena, opened 2003
The restaurant was called Miramonte when it opened in 2003 but Pawlcyn changed the name to Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen within a year.
Go Fish/Brassica, St. Helena, opened 2006
This was the Napa Valley's first sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
restaurant.
In 2011, the restaurant, committed to sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
, took sushi off the menu. Shortly thereafter, Cindy and partner Sean Knight announced that they would be transitioning Go Fish to a Mediterranean restaurant called Brassica, opening in September 2011.
Cindy Pawlcyn also was involved with opening Tra Vigne, Bix, Roti (opened in 1993), Betelnut, and Buckeye Roadhouse. She currently owns and runs Mustards Grill, Go Fish, and Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen.
Published works
- "Fog City Diner Cookbook," 1993, Ten Speed Press
- "Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook," 2001, Ten Speed Press (Won the James Beard Foundation AwardJames Beard Foundation AwardThe James Beard Foundation Awards were established in 1990 and are often called "The Oscars of Food." Held on the first weekend in May, the Awards honor the finest chefs, restaurants, wine professionals, journalists, cookbook authors, restaurant designers, and other food professionals in the...
for Best American Cookbook in 2002.) - "Big Small Plates," 2006, Ten Speed Press
- "Appetizers," 2009, Ten Speed Press
Awards and accolades
- James Beard Foundation AwardJames Beard Foundation AwardThe James Beard Foundation Awards were established in 1990 and are often called "The Oscars of Food." Held on the first weekend in May, the Awards honor the finest chefs, restaurants, wine professionals, journalists, cookbook authors, restaurant designers, and other food professionals in the...
in 2002 for Best American Cookbook for "Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook." - Twice nominated for a James Beard Foundation AwardJames Beard Foundation AwardThe James Beard Foundation Awards were established in 1990 and are often called "The Oscars of Food." Held on the first weekend in May, the Awards honor the finest chefs, restaurants, wine professionals, journalists, cookbook authors, restaurant designers, and other food professionals in the...
for Best Chef in California. - Robert Mondavi Award for Culinary Excellence.
- Fine Beverage and Food Federation’s Career Achievement Award.
External links
- Official website
- Oprah Magazine
- Bio for Bravo's "Top Chef: Masters"