Los Gatos, CA
Chef: Executive Chef Taylor Boudreaux
See Chef Taylor on ABC 7 News View From the Bay!
Executive Chef Taylor Boudreaux brings a young and enthusiastic energy to California Cafe, Los Gatos. The talented chef developed a love of cooking that was deeply influenced by his family’s Cajun background, and growing up as a Navy brat. Boudreaux’s family relocated every few years, which though tough on his social life, posed an excellent opportunity for his inquisitive palate, exposing Boudreaux to an ever-changing world of regional flavors. After finding that donning a suit and tie everyday for a corporate recruiting job in New York wasn’t the right fit, Boudreaux left for the restaurant world, waiting tables and learning the ins and outs of the front of the house. He then moved to Arizona and enrolled in the Scottsdale Culinary Institute to further refine his palette and technique. The young chef quickly took on a Line Supervisor position, putting in 60 hours a week at the University Club in Tempe AZ, before accepting the sous chef title at Mastro’s Steakhouse in Scottsdale. Concurrently, the Beverly Hills Mastro’s Steakhouse was in development, and the California chefs were training alongside Boudreaux. After only six months at Mastro’s his professionalism, talent, and business savvy won over the Beverly Hills team, and the 26-year old Boudreaux was transferred to Los Angeles to open the restaurant as its Executive Chef. During Boudreaux’s tenure at Mastro’s he consistently made innovations to the menu and satisfied an endless celebrity clientele, all while keeping the bottom line in mind. This success and Boudreaux’s ability to exquisitely combine different flavors is evident in his culinary triumphs, including Los Angeles magazine’s “Top 10 Most Renowned New Chefs,” and a James Beard Foundation nomination for “Rising Star Chef of The Year” in 2004. In 2006, along with a partner, Boudreaux opened Citizen Smith, an urban bistro in Hollywood’s bourgeoning Cahuenga corridor, and took his culinary knowledge to the next level. With free reign over the menu, Boudreaux went back to his Southern roots with playful takes on traditional favorites such as Fried Chicken Skewers, Jalapeno Mac ‘n’ Cheese and Chipotle Rubbed Pork Chops. Looking for a new challenge and an opportunity to showcase the best of California’s cuisine, Boudreaux and his wife moved to Northern California and he took the helm at Tavistock Restaurants’ successful California Cafe in downtown Los Gatos. The chef has created a new menu for the restaurant, filled with organic and local produce accented by global flavors, and designed to pair with California’s exceptional wines. In his time away from the restaurant, Boudreaux continues to build his perfect garden around his 1938 house in Willow Glen, complete with heirloom tomatoes, herbs, flowers, and more.