Aziza's Louis Maldonado Moves On To Spoonbar

Aziza chef de cuisine of three years and one-time Hottest Chef in the Bay Louis Maldonado is moving to Healdsburg to take the reins at Spoonbar in the H2Hotel. Since barman Scott Beattie left his position as Spoonbar's bar manager to take a similar role at Goose and Gander, Maldonado will be the big name on record now. He'll kick off the wine country presence by participating in the hotel's Pigs and Pinot event next Friday, followed by the sold-out Pigs and Pinot Dinner he'll cook with Mateo Granados. Maldonado tells Inside Scoop the food won't be anything like what he did at Aziza. It'll be more rustic "for people who can eat there more than just once," and his menu should take effect in late March/early April. He left Aziza on what sounds like good terms, and is still close friends with chef-owner Mourad Lahlou. The reason for his move is primarily to get his son into a Sonoma County pre-school. Meanwhile, Lahlou has promoted former sous chef, Sung Anh, to take the chef de cuisine slot.

· Aziza's Louis Maldonado off to Sonoma's Spoonbar [Chron]
· All Louis Maldonado Coverage [~ ESF ~]
[Photo: Food Fashionista]