Personalities
Louis Maldonado
Executive Chef, Spoonbar
Louis Maldonado enrolled in cooking school in 2001 on a whim, seeking a change of pace from the karate business he helped his family run. After graduating from the California Culinary Academy, Maldonado quickly launched a successful cooking career, working alongside some of the nation’s most notable chefs.
His first gig was at One Market in San Francisco, working under Chef Adrian Hoffman, 24-year-old Maldonado then landed a sous chef position on the opening team for Cortez, where he enjoyed the tutelage of chef/owners Quinn and Karen Hatfield. He quickly advanced, and in 2006, was promoted to co-executive chef. During his tenure at the helm, Cortez was awarded a Michelin Star.
Maldonado then graced the kitchens of Thomas Keller’s famed French Laundry and Café Majestic, where he was awarded the “Rising Star Chef” distinction by the San Francisco Chronicle in 2009. He later worked as the chef de cuisine of the Michelin-starred Aziza in San Francisco, collaborating closely with acclaimed chef Mourad Lahlou to craft innovative Moroccan-inspired menus, where he was also honored as Rising Star Chef in 2010 by Starchefs. In 2012, Maldonado accepted the role of executive chef for spoonbar in Healdsburg, CA in Sonoma County, where he quickly led his team to receiving a 3-star review from San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Michael Bauer; he also began overseeing the menu development of spoonbar’s Cal- Italian sister restaurant, Pizzando.
With miles of farms and talented artisan producers at his fingertips, Maldonado’s menus feature artfully-crafted, market-driven cuisine built around seasonally-inspired local and sustainable ingredients.
In 2013, Maldonado was named a contestant on the 11th season of Bravo’s Emmy and James Beard Award- nominated Top Chef television show where he won the show’s online contest, Last Chance Kitchen.
When not perfecting his craft in the kitchen, Maldonado enjoys spending time outdoors running, golfing or hiking. He’s also a supporter of Slow Food Sonoma County, a fitness enthusiast and proud father to son Benjamin.
