Bio

His appreciation for fine dining was fueled by his association with great Chefs such as Christopher Gross, Jeffrey Strauss, and Mark Tarbell.  His passion for fine wine and craft cocktails is inspired & encouraged by his colleagues with great palettes such as Steve Olson, Doug Frost, Dale DeGroff, and Andy Seymor.

Phoenix, Arizona 1977-1996

Carlsbad, California 1996-Present 

Carl Essert brings with him years of hospitality & expertise as a Food & Beverage Professional.  His talent developed at the finest restaurants in San Diego and Phoenix as a Multi Unit, General Manager, Sommelier and Beverage Director. Most recently as General Manager of Clubhouse 66. With twenty five years experience in restaurant management, Carl Essert has helped create some of the most popular and innovative restaurants. “To open a new restaurant is like bringing a child into the world, everything you do influences how that child is brought up.” The impressive list of restaurants that Carl Essert has opened includes; Donovan’s Prime Seafood, Donovan's Steak & Chop House, Pamplemousse Grille, Christopher’s & Christopher’s Bistro, and Different Pointe of View, all winners of the Wine Spectators - Best of Award of Excellence.

Carl Essert has worked in many different environments including independent Chef owned operations, and large corporate Hotel / Resort settings. His ability to manage multiple venues and revenue centers reflects his self motivation and discipline. His passion is in fine dining, wine, craft beer, and cocktail programs. Over the years developing and training staff and managers leading by example, and working hand in hand. Carl’s skills and experience come with a track record of long term commitment, aggressive growth, achieved goals and profitability.