Rogelio Garcia

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2022
• First Four Seasons Assignment: current
  

Employment History

• Luce; Spruce; The Commissary; Angèle; The French Laundry; Calistoga Ranch; Cyrus

Birthplace

• Mexico City, Mexico

Languages Spoken

• English, Spanish​​

As Executive Chef of Auro at Four Seasons Resort Napa Valley, Chef Rogelio Garcia blends impressive culinary prowess with a deep respect for Napa Valley’s legendary terroir, produce, and ingredients.

Born in Mexico City and raised in Los Angeles and Napa, Garcia’s culinary philosophy is rooted in strong relationships with local farmers, ranchers, and purveyors. His cooking seamlessly integrates classical French techniques with Japanese and Mexican influences, celebrating the vibrancy of locally sourced ingredients. At just 31, he earned his first Michelin star - an achievement that places him among an elite group of Mexican chefs worldwide - and has now secured this prestigious honour at two establishments, most recently at Auro (2023, 2024).

At Auro, Garcia’s culinary artistry perfectly complements the restaurant's stunning vineyard setting in Calistoga. Under his leadership, Auro has quickly risen to critical acclaim, earning prestigious accolades, including Wine Spectator's 2023 Best of Award of Excellence and a Michelin star just eight months after opening - making it Calistoga’s only Michelin-starred restaurant. The restaurant retained its star in 2024 and continues to be recognized for its exceptional 450-label wine program, curated by Sommelier Derek Stevenson.

"For me, cooking is storytelling," Chef Garcia shares. "This menu begins in the fields and farms of Northern California. It reflects my joy of ingredient sourcing; the anticipation of a new season; the essence of the sea and the soil; and my friendships with our ranchers, farmers and fishermen."

2024 James Beard Foundation finalist for Best Chef: California, Garcia gained national recognition on Bravo’s Top Chef Season 15. His debut cookbook, Convivir: Modern Mexican Cuisine in California’s Wine Country, was published in September 2024, further cementing his reputation as an innovator of modern Mexican cuisine.

Opened in fall 2022, Auro offers an intimate dining experience where floor-to-ceiling windows showcase both the culinary team at work and a semi-private alfresco terrace with sweeping vineyard views. Garcia’s hyper-seasonal seven-course tasting menu, featuring his signature oro (golden touch), is thoughtfully paired with wines that reflect Napa’s rich viticultural landscape.

“At Auro, we honour the ingredients and the labour that brought them to us,” reflects Chef Garcia. “The tasting menu is a tribute to my evolution as a chef, influenced by the brilliant chefs I have had the privilege to work with. It is my hope that through gathering with friends and family around a meal, we can find common ground on the plate.”

Garcia’s interest in cooking was sparked at 15, when he took an after-school job as a dishwasher in Yountville. Rising through the ranks, he honed his skills at some of wine country’s most acclaimed restaurants, including the two Michelin-starred Cyrus in Healdsburg under Chef Douglas Keane and the three Michelin-starred The French Laundry as chef de partie. He later led the kitchen at Angèle along Napa’s riverfront before refining his expertise in San Francisco at The Commissary under Traci Des Jardins, eventually earning Michelin stars at Spruce in both 2018 and 2019.

Returning to wine country, Garcia embraces his heritage and deep connection to the land. At Auro, he continues to push the boundaries of fine dining, crafting an experience that lingers in memory long after the last bite.