Rising Stars: Meet Ashlee Alewine

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashlee Alewine. They and their team shared their story with us below:

Pono Pacific Kitchen Co-Owner & Executive Chef Preston Tripp and Co-Owner & Head of Operations Ashlee Alewine have 25 years of combined fine dining restaurant experience and have always felt at home in restaurants and the hospitality industry. They have been a part of many award winning restaurants in Orange County, Oahu Hawaii and ultimately their home of the Central Coast of California, specifically Grover Beach an up and coming foodie destination that’s located mere moments away from the famous Pismo Beach. Living in Hawaii and serving farm to table elevated dishes, Chef Tripp knew he wanted to share this experience on the Mainland. When they returned they immediately bought a food truck but the fine dining experience on a food truck didn’t add up. So they decided that they would serve what they loved to eat when living in Hawaii, plate lunches, creating an extremely popular Beachwalk BBQ. When not serving their plate lunches at music festivals, catering events, breweries, wineries, weddings and other events, they were dreaming of bringing a fresh, unique and desperately needed brick and mortar experience South San Luis Obispo County. The pandemic put a pause on their start but the desire grew stronger and stronger. In early 2022 a location right off of Highway 1 on West Grand Avenue became available and they jumped on the opportunity to make this the home for Pono Pacific Kitchen.

From there they got to work remodeling and carefully curating a menu that took local fresh, organic ingredients from weekly Farmers Markets, fresh sustainable seafood from local vendors, wine and beer from Santa Ynez Valley, Edna Valley and Paso Robles. Doors opened at Pono Pacific Kitchen on July 7, 2022 and it was an instant hit with locals and visitors alike and has continued to grow a larger following day by day serving dishes such as fresh ahi overnighted from Hawaii daily, Misoyaki Butterfish sourced locally in Morro Bay, local bread from right next door at Grover Beach Sourdough, and many more popular local dishes like duck confit spring rolls, short ribs, Prime Filet Mignon from Harris Ranch. Pono’s dishes have the familiarity yet have a Pacific Rim/Hawaiian spin with unique ingredients prepared with French techniques. Everything such as sauces, desserts and more are prepared fresh every single day and it shows in the distinctive flavor pairing in each bite. Pono Pacific Kitchen guests come weekly, for special occasions, to our daily Pau Hana Happy Hour, and when family/friends come to town to showcase our bounty of resources here on the Central Coast. Although it is a fine dining experience, you’ll find it’s a laid-back atmosphere that allows everyone to come as you are and have an amazing time with your party.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Covid-19 put a pause on the start of Pono Pacific Kitchen but gave Tripp and Alewine more time to carefully curate their vision. Since starting cost of beef has increased 40% and across the board food & beverage costs have increased 8-12%. To combat that, they have been working directly with local farmers, fish vendors, etc to avoid price increases in an already moderately priced fine dining environment.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Chef Preston Tripp started in the restaurant industry at the age of 15 as a busser at the Chart House in Dana Point, CA. On a Friday night, the dishwasher called out of work so they through him back in the dish pit to keep the restaurant from crashing. Management noticed that he was faster and more efficient than their normal dishwasher so they handed him a knife to start prepping food when he wasn’t washing dishes. Weeks later, they were short a line cook and put him on the line with zero training and he excelled. From there he worked at various restaurants in Orange County, Hawaii and San Luis Obispo County working his way from line cook to Kitchen Manager to Sous Chef and ultimately to an Executive Chef by the age of 23. He also has experience starting restaurants, consulting and curating menus for new restaurant ventures. This led him to pursue his dream with his partner Ashlee Alewine to learn from the mistakes that other restaurants have made and create his own dream; doing it his way with no one to hold him back, he’s become a force to be reckoned with his dishes in his very own kitchen.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Learning how to cook from our mothers as children not only taught us how important it is to nourish others but created a bond that only food could provide. Everyone needs to eat and using local ingredients our mothers proved you don’t have to be rich to eat amazing tasting food. Ashlee’s parents grew their own garden in their yard and raised their own beef so when rough times hit, her mother would take the bounty that they created with their own hands and make magic every single night. Preston’s mother showed him how to taste as you go and how to put all your love into each dish you create and this shines through to this day with all of his dishes.

Pricing:

• Misoyaki Bitterfish $36
• Duck Confit Spring Rolls $19
• Prime Filet Mignon $60
• Mandarin Orange Crème Brûlée $12
• Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi $37

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ponopacifickitchen.com/
• Instagram: /ponopacifickitchen
• Facebook: /ponopacifickitchen
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/pono-pacific-kitchen-grover-beach

Image Credits
Celeane Photography