Traci Des Jardins

Traci Des Jardins is an American chef and restaurateur who previously owned Jardinière, a French influenced California fine-dining restaurant in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, California.^[1]

Traci Des Jardins
Traci Des Jardins with Gary Danko in the background
Born	November 15, 1965 Firebaugh, California, U.S.
Culinary career
Previous restaurant(s) * Public House, San Francisco (2010–2024) * School Night, San Francisco (2018–2019) * Mijita, San Francisco (2004–2019) * Jardinière, San Francisco (1997– 2019) * Commissary, San Francisco (2014–2021) * Arguello, San Francisco (2014–2021) * Transit Cafe (2015–2019) * El Alto, Los Altos (2022–2022)
Television show(s) Iron Chef America (2005) The Next Iron Chef (2007) Masters (season 3) (2011) "Guy's Grocery Games"
Award(s) won Rising Star Chef of the Year – James Beard Foundation Award 1995 Best Chef: Pacific – James Beard Foundation Award 2007
Website	www.tracidesjardins.com

Biography

Des Jardins was raised on a farm in Firebaugh, California, near Fresno.^[2][3] Her father is of French Acadian descent, and her mother's family is from the Mexican state of Sonora.^[3] Her maternal grandparents, Angela and Miguel Salazar, lived in a small house nearby, and Des Jardins has many strong childhood memories of her grandmother preparing flour tortillas.^[4][5] 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.^[4] Later, she worked at notable San Francisco restaurants Aqua, Elka, and Rubicon before opening Jardinière in 1997.^[6]

Philosophy

Des Jardins (left) with Karen Ross, 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.^[7]

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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^[8] Later, she competed in The Next Iron Chef but was eliminated in the first episode.^[9]

Traci Des Jardins was also a judge on season 18 of Hell's Kitchen during a challenge in episode 4.^[10]

Traci Des Jardins has also appeared as a judge on Guy's Grocery Games – $12 Meal Showdown.^[11]

Restaurants

Active

Closed

• Jardinière (September 1997 – April 2019), San Francisco^[12]
• Public House (2010–2024), Oracle Park, San Francisco^[3]
• School Night (2018–2020), Dogpatch, San Francisco
• Mijita Cocina Mexicana (2004 – December 29, 2019), Ferry Building, San Francisco^{[13][14][15][16]}
• Mijita (2010–2015), Oracle Park, San Francisco^[14][16]
• Commissary (May 2014–2021), Presidio, San Francisco^[17][18]
• Arguello (2014–2021), Presidio, San Francisco
• Transit Café (April 2015 – November 2019), Presidio, San Francisco,^[19][20] closed for the construction of the Presidio Tunnel Tops project.
• El Alto (2022), State Street Market, Los Altos, California^[21] (Vacated in 2023)^[22]

References

1. Severson, Kim (June 22, 2005). "The Chef: Traci Des Jardins; A Comforting Breakfast Starts With Salsa". The New York Times. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
2. "The Interview: Traci Des Jardins". The Nob Hill Gazette. March 1, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
3. Saria, Lauren (February 28, 2022). "Acclaimed Chef Traci Des Jardins' Much-Anticipated Silicon Valley Restaurant Opens March 24". Eater SF. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
4. Severson, Kim (May 25, 2005). "The Chef: Traci Des Jardins – Tortillas Let a Cook Come Home Again". New York Times. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
5. Friend, Nina (July 23, 2020). "How Chef Traci Des Jardins Cooks at Her Lake House". Food & Wine. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
6. Severson, Kim (June 8, 2005). "The Chef:: Traci Des Jardins; Listening for the Wisdom of the Carrot". New York Times. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
7. Severson, Kim (July 6, 2005). "The Chef: Traci Des Jardins – A Steak Brought Up Well, Please". New York Times. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
8. Ganahl, Jane (August 12, 2005). "S.F. crowd cheers on chef Traci Des Jardins as 'Iron Chef' airs on big screen at Jardiniere". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
9. Lee, Cindy (October 10, 2007). "What's New: Traci Des Jardins off 'Next Iron Chef'". SFGate.com. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
10. "Traci Des Jardins". IMDb. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
11. "Traci Des Jardins". IMDb. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
12. Bauer, Michael (November 9, 1997). "Dining Out – Jardiniere Brightens Civic Center / Sophisticated ambience and chef Traci Des Jardins' wonderful food a winning combo". SFGATE. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
13. Wu, Kim Severson, Carol Ness, Karola Saekel, Judy (August 25, 2004). "What's New". SFGate. Retrieved April 7, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
14. Batey, Eve (January 6, 2020). "Traci Des Jardins' Mexican Restaurant in the Ferry Building Is Closed". Eater SF. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
15. "Chef Traci Des Jardins Plans New Mexican-Inspired Restaurant on the Peninsula". SFist – San Francisco News, Restaurants, Events, & Sports. July 8, 2021. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
16. Bitker, Janelle (January 6, 2020). "Traci Des Jardins closes Ferry Building Mexican restaurant Mijita". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
17. Lucchesi, Paolo (May 23, 2014). "Des Jardins opens Commissary in the Presidio". SFGate. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
18. "Traci Des Jardins Opens the Commissary This Week". Inside Scoop SF. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
19. Fort, Ellen (January 28, 2015). "Traci Des Jardins Crowned Queen of the Presidio, Adds Third Dining Concept El Alto (2022–2022), State Street Market, Los Altos, California Closed over night". Eater SF. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
20. Felch, Trevor. "Traci Des Jardins Expands in the Presidio". SF Weekly. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
21. Wells, Madeline (September 26, 2022). "Celebrity chef's new Bay Area restaurant suddenly closes". SFGATE. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
22. "Los Altos: A Cal-Med favorite will move into restaurant space vacated by chef Traci Des Jardins". February 16, 2024. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.

External links

• Official website