{Local Talent}
Chef Rob Ruiz of The Land & Water Co. By Caron Golden Photos by Chris Rov Costa
I
t took Rob Ruiz some 17 years of honing his skills and developing a distinctive culinary point of view before he opened up his own restaurant, The Land & Water Company, in Carlsbad. But this chef, whose reputation centers around hyper-local, sustainably raised and sourced ingredients, started out as a kid making chocolate-chip banana pancakes for his family after church. His culinary inspiration? Public access TV shows like Great Chefs of the World. “I loved Great Chefs of the World,” he said. “You could hear the buzz of the oven hoods. Listening to them and watching the chefs prep the food totally relaxed me.” Ruiz, born and raised in Oceanside, was also hooked on fishing shows—no wonder, since for 25 years he spent every summer with his grandpa fishing around Alcatraz and later around Vancouver Island for salmon, rockfish and oysters. In fact, the oysters you enjoy at The Land & Water Company are from his old fishing grounds. But it took a move to the big island of Hawaii in 1995 for Ruiz to dive deep into what would become his calling. He went 8
edible San Diego
July-August 2015
there to attend the University of Hawaii for a business degree (which he earned), but it was the culinary jobs he took to put himself through school that ultimately gave him his career. A short-order cook at Lulu’s Bar & Grill, Ruiz was discovered by Ian Whittemore of the Kona Inn. Whittemore’s mentoring in French cooking techniques, butchering and other skills enabled Ruiz to move on to the Five-Diamond Hualalai resort as a cook. But, Ruiz said, not quite a chef. “Morgan Star, whom I worked with, said ‘Any cook who’s a good cook can write and execute recipes—but that’s not a chef,’” said Ruiz. “He told me, ‘You’re going to do mother sauces and knife cuts. I’m going to put you on my line and if you don’t know it in your head on the spot you’re wasting my time.’ He taught me the fundamentals and set me up for success.” At the time, success meant working at the Hualalai for Alan Wong and then Etsuji Umezu, learning Hawaiian regional cuisine and developing the soul—and skills—of a sushi chef. It also gave him an appreciation for local ingredients.