Chef Phi Nguyen never dreamt of a life in the kitchen. It wasn’t until he immigrated from Vietnam in 2016 and accidentally landed himself in a High School culinary class where he realized his deep love for all things culinary. Under the close guidance of his dedicated culinary arts teacher, he began to see his own skills blossom and evolve along with his curiosity for the concept of farm-to-table.
Post-graduation, Chef Phi accepted his first professional kitchen job at the Double Tree Hotel in Rohnert Park, CA. It was there he spent 2 years refining his kitchen skills and learning what a career in hospitality could look like. Through participation in local Sonoma County culinary competitions in combination with industry exploration, he felt officially opened up to the world of good food. After 2 years at The Double Tree, Phi moved up to working at the Montage in Healdsburg, CA, introducing him to the dynamics of luxury hospitality. After one year at Montage, Farmhouse Inn welcomed Phi as a Chef de Partie where he would learn to expertly prepare high-end French breakfast. Inspired by the modern French influence at Farmhouse Inn, Phi dove into his role and quickly grew from Chef de Partie to Chef Tournant, to now, Resort Chef.
Ever-inspired by the terroir of the region and his evolving relationships with local farmers, Phi continues to do what he does best at Farmhouse Inn; make elevated food from the heart and lead his team to delicious victory. Be sure to keep an eye out on all of the initiatives Chef Phi is cooking up at Farmhouse Inn this season, starting with a Winemaker Garden Series, Pool-side cooler packages, and so much more.