Chef Ismael Trejo

I am a young and ambitious chef with 15 years experience. I started at 17 dishwashing for a restaurant in Del Mar Ca for my father that was head chef. There I learned all the basic techniques one would get from a traditional culinary school and more. After leaving I worked in various restaurants in North county San Diego. Learning everything from smoked barbecue, fine dining, Italian, California cuisine and my favorite wood fire cooking. In 2016 I started at my current job at Jakes Del Mar where I moved myself up the ranks from a prep cook to lead then part of the chef team. 2020 I worked two jobs at Jakes and with a Michelin star chef Micheal Mina at international smoke just to learn. 2022 I started my own pop up business selling elevated Mexican food at local breweries, wineries, and events. I love to create and be hands on not a day goes by I don’t think about food or flavors it is part of my soul, and embedded in family. One of my biggest satisfactions is seeing an idea go from concept to making mistakes trying again then executing a perfectly well rounded and flavorful dish.