Meet our ambassador Juan Contreras

Juan Contreras

In order to snag a spot in the new kitchen at Abode, Contreras persistently called and emailed Chef Dominique Crenn. As part of the opening team, Contreras was able to work every station. At Luce, Contreras played a pivotal role collaborating in menu development and execution. After two years, Contreras left on a one year sabbatical, which encompassed stints at Alinea, De Librije, and Oud Sluis. He then returned to San Francisco and joined Crenn in opening her new project, Atelier Crenn. In 2019, Contreras was a James Beard finalist, Best Pastry Chef, and again nominated in 2020.

The secrets of Juan's pastry lie below; learn more below about this talented chef!