New Executive Chef At The Quail Lodge Set To Transform The Culinary Program

As far as California luxury goes, The Quail Lodge — a gorgeous, 850 acre resort in the picturesque Carmel Valley — tops most travelers expectations with its 18 hole championship golf course, heated pool, lavish spa and serene setting which includes trails and lakes on the sunny side of the Monterey Peninsula.

Even so, earlier this year the property announced a rebrand, which followed a guest room refresh of its 93 rooms, refreshed landscaping, installation of out door fire pits and renovation of its signature restaurant Covey Grill.

One of the most exciting additions, however? The new recently appointed Executive Chef, Goran Basarov, who comes to the property after time spent in kitchens around the world and most recently at Michelin -starred Selby’s restaurant in Redwood City, where he was the Executive Sous Chef. Previously, he held the Executive Chef role at Cordevalle Golf Resort and Spa in San Martin.

Under Chef Basarov’s new creative vision, guests can expect to see an array of innovative takes on both classic dishes and new creations that exemplify his culinary background. In his new role, Chef Basarov oversees all culinary outlets on the property which includes Covey Grill, The Quail's signature restaurant, and Edgar's Restaurant, which serves elevated American staples.

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Covey Grill offers locally sourced ingredients from some of the regions top farmers to create a chef-driven menu highlighting the region's local bounty. The menu is seasonal and rotates given what's available. The summer saw dishes like the heirloom corn risotto with Acquerello rice and parmigiano; cavatelli in a savory summer vegetable broth, prosciutto and onions; and a whole roasted Branzino with squash and white wine sauce.

While his main culinary influence draws from Mediterranean and Latin Cuisine, he prides himself on breaking the mold. By the time he arrived at The Quail, the culinary program had been well in need of direction, and he was eager and waiting to get started.

"My journey at The Quail started December 27th," Chef Basarov explained. "By the time I arrived, The Quail had been without an executive chef for several months, so there were quite a few projects operationally and on the culinary side that needed to be addressed. I hit the ground running since that first day and never looked back."

We chatted with Executive Chef, Goran Basarov about his future at The Quail, what's in the works and more. Here's what he had to say.

How have your previous experiences in chef positions prepared you for this position?

Working at Quail is an experience like no other that I have had before. I can’t quite compare it to CordeValle, but having worked there certainly lent a hand in being able to jump right in and tackle what was at hand since day one. My experience at Selby’s helped further define and hone the techniques we now use when we prepare our food and the way we run the kitchen.

What are some of your goals with your new role at The Quail?

Goals are always plentiful. Right now, the main focus focusing on the operational part of the restaurants (Covey Grill and Edgar’s), to get them to a point where everything is running like a well-oiled machine. And then we just step it up a notch. Second, establishing and nurturing relationships with local farms and producers and showcase what they offer.

Lastly, we have beautiful venues that we use for our catering and events. I am working on a new enhanced catering menu to go with these beautiful settings. Like I said, goals are plentiful, just a matter of time to see all of them through.

What is the inspiration for your cuisine and how would you describe it?

Inspiration comes from all everywhere. Some come from dishes I ate growing up, some come from Latin cuisine, Mediterranean, Asian — I like it all. At one point in my career, during a dinner party, I was asked the same question; how would you describe your cooking? At that point I really could not answer the question, as it caught me by surprise, and I had never really thought much about it.

I just liked to cook and be creative. My spouse, sitting next to me at the time, answered for me to be honest, and referred to my cooking style as eclectic. She basically said that every single time we go out to dinner, or doing something that involves food, I sit there and break down a dish in bits and pieces, keep the things that I like for future ideas and discard the rest.

What excites you most about your new role here?

When I first interviewed for the position I was asked why I would like to come work at The Quail. My answer could not have been more genuine and I just said; there are far too many things that The Quail does (referring to the Motorcycle and Motorsports Gatherings) that fall in line with my personal interests and the opportunity to be part of that is something that is beyond exciting for me.

The other thing is that few chefs get to enjoy a “carte blanche” when they start at an establishment like The Quail. Being given the permission to write a new narrative for the culinary side of things, although terrifying, fuels the excitement, not just for me but for the team that is part of that narrative as well.

What do you have in the works and what are your favorite dishes on the menus right now?

There is always something in the works. We just completed a menu change and we are already talking about what we will be doing next. There is always the talk of, “What are we doing for Love Thy Neighbor next week”. The main goal is to create a picture of the direction we are trying to take the restaurants in and get everyone accustomed to the style of cuisine that we strive to push towards.

I do get the question of “what’s your favorite dish” quite a lot. My response is the same every time; I joke and say that it is kind of like asking a mom who their favorite child is. I really don’t have one. The dishes that are on the menu are basically things that I like to eat, some inspired by what is in season, some inspired by childhood, some inspired by something I’ve tasted 5 years ago, or last week.