Chris Flint is the newly appointed culinary director of Château du Sureau at the gateway to Yosemite National Park. In this new role, Chef Flint will oversee the culinary operation of Château du Sureau, a Relais & Châteaux resort, and its fine-dining restaurant, Elderberry House. Learn about Chris Flint…
Hometown: Bradenton, Florida
First job: Server in a retirement home
Favorite ways to spend your free time in CA: Outdoors and eating. Hiking, rock climbing as well as eating in LA’s huge variety of ethnic cuisines. My favorites are eating through Koreatown, Little Tokyo and Thai town.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: When working as chef de cuisine at Eleven Madison Park, we were named “Best Restaurant in the World” by San Pellegrino 50 Best Restaurants. The award itself wasn’t the biggest accomplishment but, more importantly, seeing a team work together to achieve a common goal. The camaraderie and drive, the blood, sweat and tears, the laughter and intensity are what made it such an incredible experience.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: Ego and insecurities. By setting aside ego and gaining humility, I became more open-minded to new ideas and change.
Someone who inspires you and why: Chef Brian Lockwood. He is one of the most accomplished and dedicated chefs I have had the honor to work with. He is incredibly humble but, at the same time, incredibly knowledgeable of his craft. He exudes great leadership.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: Stay hungry for knowledge and remain humble. Be patient; this is a craft. To become great requires many repetitions. It’s OK to fail. Just take notes along the way and try to learn from your mistakes.
Favorite quote: “You must change to remain the same.”
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: I am an avid fan of skateboarding.
What makes someone fabulous: Persistence and grit. Someone who has style and grace under pressure. A person that doesn’t give up in what they believe in and continues on the path regardless of what others may think.