Executive Chef Giselle Wellman Exits Pacific Standard

LITTLE ITALY— ‘Top Chef' alum Giselle Wellman is leaving Pacific Standard Coastal Kitchen. The San Diego native returned last summer to helm the first restaurant partnership between Southern California-based hotelier T2 Development and New School Restaurant Consulting. During her tenure Wellman designed the coastal-inspired menu, which focused on honoring California ingredients, from seafood to meat and produce.

When reached for comment, Wellman shared, “I am leaving Pacific Standard on good terms and wish them the best. It was an amazing year opening the property with the team, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity and the welcome that the San Diego community has given me. I am leaving in order to focus on a new direction - still cooking and still in San Diego. More to come!”

In a statement Pacific Standard said, "The team has nothing but the deepest respect for this talented chef, as she helped elevate the restaurant within our local community. We wish her nothing but the best and will continue to support Giselle in all of her future endeavors.”

PACIFIC BEACH— Leading the culinary experience at Pueblo is the newly installed executive chef Eduardo Rosales. Bringing 20 years of culinary experience as a chef, restaurant owner, and educator in South America and Mexico, Rosales plans to infuse his cross-cultural sensibilities and passion for sustainable food practices into Pueblo’s Baja-focused menu. Born in Chile, Rosales most recently served as a Chef Instructor at Mexico’s prestigious Culinary Arts School, where he helped to train young chefs from both sides of the border. The chef will add to Pueblo's regional ingredient and seafood-driven menu with an array of new dishes in the coming weeks.