Santana Rodriguez

Chef/Owner, Qouign
Moss Landing, California -

Chef Santana Rodriguez came from humble beginnings, raised in Soledad to working-class parents. In her childhood, she enjoyed baking pastries in her easy-bake oven and selling candies to her brothers from a small doll house in their backyard.

Given the opportunity to mentor under Chef Anna Marie Bayonito at Spanish Bay, she absorbed the information from the savory perspective of food and was introduced to the magic that is culinary artistry. After Spanish Bay, she began learning under Chef Cal Stamenov at Bernardus Lodge and Spa, and transitioned from savory to pastry under his guidance.

By happenstance, she walked into Alta Bakery one evening asking about a chocolate clock in the window, and so began the mentorship under Chefs Ben Spungen, Matt Sommerville, & Ron Mendoza.

She has also spent time learning from Chefs Antonio Bachour in New York, staging at Bouchon Bakery, and learning business strategies from Chef Bert Cutino.

She is currently the Pastry Chef at Grasing’s located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, and has a small chocolate business by the name of Qouign. She is pursuing knowledge of pastries and chocolatiering while actively finding ways to assist in the community like participating in Meals on Wheels, the annual Rancho Cielo Roundup, local fundraisers for libraries and women's shelters, Pebble Beach Food & Wine, and Big Sur Food and Wine.