Up Close & Personal with Chef Denis Simon

Chef Denis knew he wanted to be a chef by the time he was 10 years old. Born and raised in France, he loved working with his mom in the kitchen and especially loved making pastries. Even though his parents had other ideas for him (like being an electrician), his perseverance paid off. At 14, his dad found him a 4-year restaurant apprenticeship in his native region of Alsace-Lorraine that alternated 1 week of school with 3 weeks as an apprentice. The first assignment for the eager young chef: learn how to clean the kitchen. Later, of course, he advanced to essential culinary skills like deboning and butchering. When he graduated, his mentor placed him at a one-Michelin star restaurant in Colmar, France, where he trained as a pastry chef. The military soon called – fortunately for just one year – but he was still able to use his cooking skills while enlisted. After he left, he spent the next several years at two different one-Michelin star restaurants in France where he honed his skills.

In 1986, the opportunity arose to come to California, and Chef Denis quickly got a job as the banquet chef at Hornblower Yachts in San Francisco. He later became the executive sous chef at Maxwell’s Plum in Ghirardelli Square. In 1989, Chef Denis felt it was time to move his restaurant career to hotels, and over the next 10 years he had top positions at Hyatt, Le Baron Hotel, and Hilton in the South Bay.

While hotels were challenging and banquets included up to 1,000 guests, the real challenge lay ahead when Chef Denis began to take on 30,000 guests at a time at the Santa Clara Convention Center, managing some 100 employees. Chef Denis was in charge of more meals than ever before, but he was no longer intimately involved with preparing the food or with serving the people he loves – the guests – and so it was time for yet another shift, which took him to the Peninsula Regent just down the street. And then, the best thing ever happened – Chef Denis became an essential part of Sterling Court where he has prepared food with love and care for the past 11 years – his longest time at any one place during his renowned career.  

It’s clear Chef Denis is at home at Sterling Court. “Thanks to the residents we have a job. We have to make sure the food, the presentation, the service, and everything is great, so they won’t leave. I’m blessed to work here and make sure everything goes well for these residents,” said Chef Denis.

Learning about Chef Denis’s illustrious experience and remarkable achievements led to some up-close-and-personal questions.

What kind of food did you grow up with?

My parents cooked very simple food in Alsace-Lorraine, and Mom grew just about everything and made everything fresh. The only time I remember her going to the market was in the winter.

Do you have a signature dish?

For the first 20 years of cooking, I loved making Alsatian sauerkraut. But more recently I’ve turned to jambalaya because my wife loves it!

What is your least favorite dish to prepare?

Anything that is fatty or greasy. I had a heart attack in 2019, so I changed the way I ate as well as how I prepared food for others.

You mentioned your wife. Tell me about your family.

I have a wonderful daughter and three step-daughters, two that live at home with my wife and I right here in San Mateo. We also have one grandson. We are fortunate to have all our children here in the Bay Area.

What is your favorite cuisine to eat?

French cuisine because that is where I am from and where my heart lies. My wife is from Mexico, so I am very fond of that as well, but really, I love any kind of food.

How do you describe your overall cooking philosophy at Sterling Court?

Healthy eating. We don’t use salt. There is no salt in the kitchen; it is on the tables but not in the kitchen. And there is very little sugar. I season from the beginning with spices and herbs to get maximum flavor and we adjust recipes to make the health aspect of utmost importance. We try lots of new ideas, and sometimes they don’t go over with the residents at first (I recall the first time I put fruit on a salad!) but we win them over .

Name 3 kitchen tools you can’t live without.

A plastic spatula to get everything out because there is no waste for me. A sharp chef’s knife is essential, and I love a spaetzle machine for making this German pasta that I used to make by hand. Once I discovered the machine, I couldn’t live without it!

If you could cook a meal for anyone in the world who would it be?

I wish I could have cooked a meal for my parents. Unfortunately, in the past couple of years I lost them both, but that is who I would love to cook for.

Our conversation ended with some words of wisdom: “We all have good and bad days. Even if one resident has a bad day, I go home every night and say ‘You know what, I made that person have a better day.’” That’s what matters most to Chef Denis.