Personalities

Chandon Clenard

Chandon's Links:

Pacific Catch

Chandon was born and raised in Southern California. He was very active in sports growing up, competing in triathlons, water polo and ultra distance cycling events. After a three-year stint with Uncle Sam in the US Army as a medic, Chandon attended college at Southwest Missouri State University and Drury College in Missouri where he studied biology. While going to school, Chandon began working as a bartender, his first introduction to the restaurant industry.

                 After moving back to Los Angeles, Chandon worked in several “front of house” positions, from bartender to general manager.  Something was missing from his career and after some soul searching; Chandon decided that his true passion was in the kitchen.  His first step was at Monty’s Steakhouse as a prep cook. He eventually moved up the ranks cooking at both the Depot Restaurant for Michael Shafer and Splash Restaurant for Surge Burkel. Chandon moved to the Bay Area in 1998 where he worked for Wolfgang Puck at Spago, Palo Alto, and then on to be Executive Chef for Kimpton Restaurants in San Francisco. After 8 years in the Bay Area, Chandon was lured back to Los Angeles to be the Executive Chef for Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken at their flagship restaurant in Santa Monica, Border Grill. Along the way Chandon’s training was complimented by attending cooking schools in Thailand and Oaxaca, Mexico, as well as extensive food travels throughout Mexico, France, Italy and Scandinavia.

Recently Chandon was a Director of Food Beverage and Corporate Chef for O&S Holdings, LLC., developing their new restaurant concept at Monaco Pictures as well overseeing the opening and operations of two Westin Hotel Franchises in Alabama and Texas.

Chandon lives on the Peninsula with his beautiful wife of 6 years, Shari and two daughters, Hannah and Emma. They enjoy traveling, walks to the park and cycling; the girls love it when Dad tows them around in the bicycle trailer. They have a cat too – named Kendall. Chandon is still an avid cyclist and swimmer; he even has been known to go for a swim in San Francisco’s Aquatic Park on occasion.