Culinary Expertise
Bernard Ibarra Vice President of Culinary Experiences & Executive Chef – Terranea Resort Bernard Ibarra’s passion for food began with his childhood on a farm at the French side of Basque Country. Ibarra would tag along with his mother to the village market, exhilarated by the sights and smells, fascinated by the community of providers there. Upon graduating from culinary school in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and
Bernard Ibarra’s passion for food began with his childhood on a farm at the French side of Basque Country. Ibarra would tag along with his mother to the village market, exhilarated by the sights and smells, fascinated by the community of providers there. Upon graduating from culinary school in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and apprenticing at Michelin-starred Les Pyrénées, Ibarra went to work for the Four Seasons organization. After a 35-year career as a lead chef spanning continents, Ibarra found Terranea in Southern California, with its salt air, sustainable ethos, and beautiful coastal setting, calling to mind his childhood on that Basque Country farm. In addition to overseeing the resort’s culinary operations and culture, he maintains an apiary with nearly 200,000 honey bees, an onsite garden, and a dozen chickens. In 2013 Ibarra launched Terranea’s Sea Salt Conservatory, which produces signature sea salts used in the resort kitchens and spa treatments. Through the resort and individually, he devotes himself to charities supporting breast cancer research, feeding disadvantaged families, and championing environmental causes.