Press Releases
Flynt Payne to Lead Carmel Valley Ranch Culinary Team as Executive Chef
Award -Winning Chef has Served as House Chef Four Times for New York’s Famed James Beard House
Originally from North Carolina, Payne attended the New England Culinary Institute and has over 20 years of experience. He most recently served as the Consulting Executive Chef for the Plumpjack Group at Plumpjack Squaw Valley Inn in Lake Tahoe.
Prior to his time at Squaw Valley Inn, Chef Payne served five years as Executive Chef at Esperanza in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, consistently rated as one of the world's top resorts. During his tenure there, the resort earned numerous awards, including Travel +Leisure's list of the top 500 resorts in the world and Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List of the World's Best Hotels & Resorts in 2005.
Chef Payne also served as Executive Chef at Atwater's Restaurant where he redesigned the culinary concept, for which he was awarded Gourmet Magazine's Top Table award.
Chef Payne's reputation and extraordinary talent led him to cook for numerous prestigious events, including the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival in Orlando, Fla., the Alice Waters Celebration Dinner in Portland, Ore., the Classic Wine Auction in Portland, Ore. and at the James Beard House in New York City, NY in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2005. He has also been voted Best of Baja by Travel & Leisure in 2003 and featured in SpaFinder in 2004.
Carmel Valley Ranch offers four restaurants, including The Dining Room, Fireside Lounge, The Clubhouse Grill, and Ranch House Café, which are all open to the public. For reservations call 831-625-9500.
For more information on Carmel Valley Ranch, visit www.CarmelValleyRanch.com.
Carmel Valley Ranch is nestled into the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains on 400 acres of spectacular land. The property includes 144 large guest suites, whose size exemplifies the bounty of the Carmel Valley, as well as award winning tennis programs, a Pete Dye-designed championship 6,234-yard golf course, fine dining facilities, swimming pools, a fitness facility and numerous hiking trails.