Personalities
Jesse Smith
Executive Chef, Avila Valley Barn
My name is Jesse Smith. I grew up on our farm at the Avila Valley Barn, which exposed me to an abundance of great farm fresh produce at a very young age. I left for the Coast Guard when I was 19 years old and spent the next 4 ½ years serving my country while pursuing my love and interest of cooking for my crew members. After my time in the service I attended The Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, California. During that time I lived in Napa’s wine country. I worked for several different notable restaurants and wineries learning as much as I could from an array of very talented chefs. My wife and I soon felt that it was time to get back to our roots on the Central Coast and working towards my goal of broadening the culinary side of the Avila Valley Barn. Through the years of growing up in the Avila Valley I have seen many changes; one of the best parts has been watching the growth of the farming community flourish. I am blessed, humbled and delighted to be able to pursue my passion for cooking and farming here on the Central Coast.
