Chef Jason Pringle

Chef Jason Pringle was born in San Bernardino, California and grew up in the Bay area. He began his path in the culinary world at age 14, having been connected to good cooking and living through his family, who attached a lot of importance to the time spent around a dining room table.

While attending college in Idaho, Jason worked his way to his first Sous Chef position, under Chef Kirt Martin at the Snake River Grill in Hagerman, Idaho. Jason worked four years at this restaurant with Chef Martin where he developed a true passion for cooking wild game and local fish. During his tenure at the Snake River Grill, Jason had the opportunity to assist Chef Martin in the development of new featured dishes and preparations for a nationally televised program, “Cooking on the Wild Side”. The recipes were then shown and published in its companion book. Jason was only 18 at the time, but realized at this point that he had to develop the techniques necessary to improve his approach to specific products and nurture his own culinary growth.

In 2002, Jason returned to the Bay area where he earned the opportunity to join the kitchen staff at AQUA restaurant, in San Francisco. Jason worked his way through the ranks and became an Executive Sous Chef, affording him the opportunity to develop new skills working first, under Chef Michael Mina. and then later with Chef Laurent Manrique.

In 2005, Jason, with the support and connections of Chef Manrique, had the chance to stagiaire and work seminars at fabled New York City restaurants Le Bernardin and Daniel. Those two exciting experiences helped Jason enhance and perfect his culinary skills. Additionally, they showed him other possibilities of what modern fine-dining food could be.

Jason remained under the tutelage of Chef Manrique at AQUA through early 2007. This was the first year of three that they were awarded two stars from the Michelin Guide. An accolade that only two restaurants in The City achieved. Ironically, the other so-awarded was Restaurant Michael Mina, at the Westin St. Francis Hotel.

In those five years since returning to San Francisco, Jason had the opportunity to observe and learn from iconic chefs, but he also developed his own signature culinary style, creating his own unique interpretations of the product and its preparation.

Soon after, Jason joined the opening team of EPIC Roast House, the newest project of Pat Kuleto and Chef/Partner Jan Birnbaum. Jason, as Executive Sous Chef, bringing his savoir faire for seafood cookery and, by working in a place that is focused on meat preparation, being exposed to products and ingredients that were not previously part of his repertoire.

In 2009, Chef Laurent Manrique approached Jason, now 30, for the position of Executive Chef at AQUA which he accepted. Jason assumed command in the beginning of that summer, at this point a very well-seasoned candidate with balanced knowledge and techniques to be in a position to have his own kitchen and his own team.

Now, Jason combines his past experiences with his own vision to produce a very clean. but modern cuisine, using the freshest organic products in traditional preparations, adding an original flair to it and striving for the most intense flavor profiles.

Says Jason, “Approachable in concept, appealing in presentation, but intense on the pallet for the most enjoyable culinary experience a guest could hope for…”