Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/271567
92 / the tasting panel / march 2014 Coast to Coast "Have Chef Knives, Will Travel" was probably the adventurous slogan for Chef Jon Tice as he hopped from East Coast to West Coast, twice, establishing himself at well-known restaurants each time he landed. Now at the helm of two of the famed Garces Restaurant Group eateries—Tinto and El Jefe, both located in the newly modeled and trendy Palm Springs Saguaro Hotel—Chef Jon is on the cutting edge, preparing wildly inventive tapas and other Basque- and Northern Spanish–influ- enced meals at Tinto, while the adjacent El Jefe celebrates the bar cuisine of Mexico City with imaginative ceviches, tacos and sopas. Originally from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Chef Jon relates "I have been cooking for over 19 years. My interest in cooking began with my dad. He inspired a sense of adventure in his home cooking, and I admired that so much that I sought—and fortunately received—the Four Seasons Scholarship Award and went on to graduate from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York in 2002." In 2007 and for the following five years, Tice became Chef de Cuisine at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach, CA, managing 25 employees. Passing the first stage of the Court of Master Sommelier examination in 2010, he obtained the Food & Wine Pairing Certificate from CIA at Greystone, Napa Valley. Ready to establish himself and get his family back in Philly, in September 2011 he took chef positions at the Bradford and JG Domestic and waited for a prospect to spring. Auspiciously, he was approached by Chef Jose Garces—but the destination, incredibly, was Palm Springs, to open the new Tinto. This offer of a lifetime—working with Garces and taking the Executive Chef position—was enough to sway Tice back to California. The family is loving it here—who wouldn't? Tinto is an elegant restaurant with an ambiance of Old World charm and a design of Spanish chic. The wine menu at Tinto is awash with more than 70 Spanish wines. "It's a dream come true having so many options available with our farm-to-table ingredients that work well with the versatility of the wines, both to traditional and ultra-modern meals and techniques." Chef Jon continues. "I enjoy cooking with every ounce of my being. It's a deep love and connection I have with fresh produce, meats, spices, and flavors." Trending in Palm Springs by Rick Riozza P alm Springs has resurged as the hip and trendy hot spot for both the young and the young at heart who continue to relish those Rat Pack/Sinatra days. Only a two-hour drive from Los Angeles, it's considered by many travel experts as one of the top "best deal" destinations worldwide in 2014. The Palm Springs area is reinventing itself on the culinary scene with new and innovative restaurants, bars and lounges, along with an active generation of food and beverage professionals. Chef Jon Tice of restaurants Tinto and El Jefe at Palm Springs's Saguaro Hotel. PHOTO: ARTHUR COLEMAN