Chef Adam Ornellas & Jenner Family Beef

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We very excited to have Chef Adam Ornellas running the kitchen here at Denny Bar Company. With over 25 years of experience, Adam has become a true culinary artist and expert in his field. Ornellas has traveled across the country and worked for a variety of high-end restaurants -- including working as Executive Chef for Starwood Hotel and Resorts, which owns the likes of the Sheraton, the Westin, the St. Regis and W San  Francisco. Early in his career, Ornellas apprenticed with Chef Almir Da Fonseca, who is now an instructor at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, California. "My mother was the one who initially instilled in me a real appreciation for good food. She cooked with passion and a respect for fresh ingredients."

Despite an impressive resume, Ornella's goal at Denny Bar Company is to create dishes that are approachable, fresh, and include as much local and regional ingredients as possible. "I'm working hard to source as many local ingredients as possible for each dish we serve," Ornellas explains. He adds, "It's also important to make sure our menu items are affordable for our local clientele. It is possible to have a nice meal without breaking the bank. We're also fortunate to live in such an agriculturally rich area here in Scott Valley. It's been great connecting and building relationships with local ranches and farms. I'm also very excited about our partnership with Jenner Family Beef, who will be supplying all of our beef here at the restaurant."

Jenner Family Beef is a 5th generation family-owned and operated ranch here in Scott Valley; the Jenners have been raising cattle and been stewards of the land here locally for over 140 years. "This relationship with Jenner Family Beef is a true farm-to-table experience. The cattle are raised on open pastures about six miles away from the restaurant, literally just down the road. We're also taking it a step further by purchasing and unitizing the whole cow. It's a truly sustainable 'head to tail' practice where we process and utilize the entire animal -- with little to no waste."

"My mother was the one who initially instilled in me a real appreciation for good food -- she cooked with passion & a respect for fresh ingredients."