MEET OUR ESTATE CHEF

Chef Spencer Johnston

Chef Spencer Johnston, culinary artist and Executive Chef at DAOU Winery, transforms local ingredients into extraordinary dishes that are rooted in and reflective of his commitment to seasonality and sustainability. His culinary philosophy is a blend of passion, precision, and provenance.

This passion was ignited during Chef Spencer's childhood on California's central coast. Spending countless hours in his family's garden cultivated a lifelong love and respect for fresh produce. This early connection to the land has shaped his culinary approach.

Family trips to local farmer's markets further fueled his curiosity, turning each visit into an adventure of taste and discovery.

Unknowingly, he was building a diverse 'flavor bank' at a very young age, one in which he now draws from on a daily basis.

As his enthusiasm for food grew, a serendipitous discovery at a Santa Cruz bookstore would solidify his culinary aspirations. At age 14, he stumbled across The Epicurean, a renowned classic on the art of cooking, written by George Ranhofer.

The Epicurean changed his life.

Intrigued by its content and depth, he hid the cookbook in the bookstore for four years. Every few months, he would return and spend hours flipping through the pages, expanding his culinary imagination.

After staging with no prior kitchen experience, other than dishwashing, Chef Spencer was offered a position. In that moment, he realized the life of a chef was one he wanted to live.

And he never looked back.

Portrait of Andre Tchelistcheff sniffing a glass of wine

Bypassing culinary school, Chef Spencer received hands-on training, forming an understanding of the work ethic necessary to work in on-premise food production facilities. He absorbed teachings from mentors, learned traditional French techniques, and dove into books, including his very own copy of The Epicurean, gifted by his mother on his 18th birthday.

At 21, Chef Spencer moved to San Diego, where he embraced the farm-to-table movement and initiated beer-paired dinners, becoming one of early chefs to do so. As an area chef to watch, he continued to refine his skills across Southern California, taking on roles that honed his management and culinary abilities.

These experiences led to the launch of his catering company, Danior Catering, now in its 11th year.

Building Danior from the ground up was a grassroots effort. Chef Spencer and his team added wine pairings to their catered offerings, enabling them to connect with winemakers, wine enthusiasts, and winery owners. Eventually, Danior would begin catering for DAOU, which led to Chef Spencer becoming the Executive Chef.

With extensive experience creating gastronomic adventures and an expanded flavor palate, one of Chef Spencer's top priorities at DAOU was to create menus that honor the family's Lebanese heritage, while weaving in French, Spanish, Mexican, and other influences.

He prioritizes seasonality, quality, and freshness, along with a variety of colors and flavor profiles when creating dining and pairing menus to ‘wow’ DAOU guests. Balancing the palate is paramount to ensure there is enough acidity, saltiness, sweetness, and heat in his creations to expose the bouquet of DAOU wines.

"I don't need to be the best chef in the world, I just want to continue to get better and better." ~Chef Spencer Johnston

Adhering to sustainability and the 'slow-food' movement, Chef Spencer has cultivated deep connections within the local community, partnering with nearby farmers, fishermen, producers, vendors, and chefs alike. At DAOU, these relationships are integral, with the majority of ingredients - whether breads and cheeses, meats and seafood, olive oils, or salts - sourced from within a 40-mile radius, reflecting a commitment to local collaboration and quality.

His future aspirations for DAOU include increasing on-site sustainability efforts and expanding DAOU's culinary program to create cohesiveness, connectivity, and fellowship.

Chef Spencer's culinary talent has been recognized beyond DAOU, including his first-place win in Tyler Florence’s 2024 Masters of Fire BBQ competition. As he continues making his mark on the culinary world and California's central coast, Chef Spencer shared what he wants his legacy to be, stating, “I want to be known as a teacher who opened doors for others and a lifelong friend. My goal is to help people understand the business of food and to be remembered as an epicurean.”

For a multi-sensory dining and wine experience, come visit DAOU, a hidden gem in California's wine country. DAOU is more than a vineyard, it's a destination.