September 6, 2016 – 
Founding chef and partner Phillip Wojtowicz (at left in photo) is back in the kitchen at the iconic Big Sur Bakery.
“He created the foundation of our cuisine there, so it’s very comfortable to have him back at the helm,” says pastry chef Michelle Rizzolo, who started BSB with Wojtowicz in 2008. Later the couple married and wrote the luscious seasonal cookbook Big Sur Bakery: A Year in the Life of a Restaurant. Mike Gilson (pictured right) is the third partner.
“Mike and I both love Phil’s food and feel very, very connected to it,” she added. “The menu changes with every batch of produce that comes in.”
Wojtowicz left Big Sur Bakery when the couple separated and several chefs have held the top post since then, including executive chef Jacob Burrell who left last March to take a job in Bali.
Wojtowicz returned to BSB in August and Rizzolo says the arrangement is still all very open right now. So heads up! Anyone who wants to experience the original Big Sur Bakery genius, get down there now.
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At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
