La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club has appointed Executive Chef Ananda Bareño to lead all culinary programming across the 21-acre beachfront resort, including the acclaimed Marine Room and La Jolla Shores Hotel & Restaurant.
In addition to recently joining the team, the new executive chef will also guide the development of a new restaurant, bar, and market as part of the resort’s ongoing $60 million transformation, according to an update from La Jolla. Bareño, who most recently served as Executive Chef at Alila Marea Beach Resort in Encinitas, brings global culinary experience to the club, having worked in kitchens across Europe, South America, and the Middle East.
Her ingredient-driven cooking style focuses on sustainability and seasonality, which is showcased in the new spring menus at The Marine Room and The Shores Restaurant. Highlights include Tasmanian ocean trout with coconut salsa macha, Cascade Creek lamb chops with citrus labneh, and Japanese A5 wagyu strip steak. In addition to overseeing the daily operations of the existing restaurants, Bareño will collaborate with Amanda Cohen, the club’s Director of Food & Beverage, to develop the resort’s new dining concepts.
These changes are central to the resort’s ongoing transformation, which includes refreshed outdoor spaces and a revamped patio and pool deck experience, set to be completed by Spring 2025. The resort’s redesign, led by Studio UNLTD, blends the Spanish colonial charm of the original property with modern touches. As part of this reimagination, The Marine Room has introduced live music every Wednesday from 4:30 to 7 p.m. This is just one aspect of the ongoing transformation, which is designed to provide a refined, seaside aesthetic to the resort’s dining and leisure spaces.
