Business & Tech

Pacific Coast Grill Announces Culinary Team

Cardiff's newest beachfront eatery opens in about a month. Meet the men behind its menu.

The community has been eyeing the construction off Coast Highway as Pacific Coast Grill gets closer and closer to completion. After , the restaurant is

This week owners Steve Goldberg and Phil Berkovitz announced the culinary team that will lead Pacific Coast Grill. If you plan to checkout the new beachfront eatery, here’s the scoop on who will be behind the menu:

Israel “Izzy” Balderas has been tagged as executive chef. For fans who frequented the Solana Beach location, Balderas is a familiar face. He got his start in the kitchen with Goldberg and Berkovitz nearly 25 years ago, worked his way up to ultimately lead the culinary teams at Pacific Coast Grill and Wild Note Café in Solana Beach, Goldberg and Berkovitz’s other restaurant. Balderas is known for fusing California coastal cuisine with hints of Latin flare from his heritage.

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Jorge Benitez will serve as sous chef. He has spent past several years perfecting his craft as a sushi chef. His creations are featured as weekend specials, and may become permanent fixtures on the menu. Benitez is also known for his experimental style in the kitchen, often pulling inspiration from his reading and research into culinary trends and topics.

Mark Ridener is the newest chef to join the team. Hailing from Oklahoma City, Ridener most recently served as executive chef at Cheever’s Café back in his hometown. Ridener has a signature style of contemporary, hearty foods. His creations include a chili-lime quinoa stuffed avocado, and mixed seafood sweet potato tamales.  

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Encintias Patch will keep you posted as more details surrounding the opening of Pacific Coast Grill are announced.


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