RESERVATIONS 855.687.7262 – This link will open your default phone application 61° AQI 41 Go Back to Homepage BLOG GALLERY SPECIALS BOOK NOW ACCOMMODATIONS ACTIVITIES GOLF DINING SPA & WELLNESS MEETINGS WEDDINGS & EVENTS ABOUT US If that’s okay with you, keep on browsing, or learn more about our Privacy Policy. CLOSE COOKIE DISCLOSURE NOTICE ARTISANS RITCHARD CARIAGA EXECUTIVE CHEF Carmel Valley Ranch Executive Chef Ritchard Cariaga has always had deep cultural connections surrounding food—bonds that only became stronger during his 15 years leading culinary efforts at resorts in Hawaii and the Bahamas. In addition to earning several Hyatt awards, he has had the honor of cooking at the famed James Beard House in New York. Ritchard and his wife, Sarah, just welcomed a baby girl—and while they are new to California, they’re already feeling the love. “We are grateful to be a part of The Ranch,” he says. “This is a magical place, and everyone has been incredibly welcoming.” MARK MARINO DIRT WHISPERER & BOOKWORM As overseer of The Ranch’s two-acre organic garden and orchard, Mark grows the fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs that provide the resort’s kitchens with the freshest, highest-quality seasonal ingredients. Have you ever wanted to see the flower of an artichoke or smell hops growing on the vine? Just ask Mark. When he isn’t tending the earth or geeking out with guests on garden tours, the self-proclaimed bookworm can be found digging into a good read. CHRISTOPER RILEY BEES’ BEST FRIEND As manager of the resort’s apiary, Chris oversees honey production and enlightens guests about our tiniest artisans. “Bees pollinate our gardens and give us medicine for allergies and infections,” buzzes Chris. “Their relationship with humans was meant to bee.” Chris first found his way to the hive when he was looking for a natural alternative to white sugar for his homemade elderberry wine recipe. He has been a true bee-liever ever since. CARLO OVERHULSER SOURCE-RER OF SALT “It’s all about blending a taste of Big Sur with the flavors of The Ranch,” says Carlo. He hand-harvests salt from the magical waters of Big Sur and infuses it with organic ingredients that capture the essence of the coast. He adds everything from fragrant California sage and wildflowers to award-winning red wine from the Santa Lucia foothills. “What grows together, goes together,” says Carlo, making him a perfect fit for our culinary program. SOPHIE HAUVILLE CHEESE GAL A native of Normandy, Sophie Hauville grew up deeply immersed in France’s ancestral culture of fromage, or cheese. “At home, eating cheese is a ritual that brings family and friends together at the dinner table, sharing stories about their day,” she says. When life brought Sophie to a small farm in Big Sur, she fell in love with goats, organic farming, and bees; she also met Charlie Cascio, who taught her artisanal cheesemaking and introduced her to The Ranch. “Cheesemaking is very much an art,” Sophie says. “Milk is a blank canvas that you can turn into so many delicious flavors.” ROBERT G. MAGNELLI, PH.D THE HORSEMAN Robert has a lifelong love of horses—and a passion for continuing to discover how they can help us be our best selves. A clinical psychologist with nearly a half-century of professional experience in private practice, as a professor, and for public agencies, he was certified by the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association in 2003. Since then, he has crafted programs that utilize the emotional intelligence of horses to strengthen teams, families, and individuals. Along with his wife, Nancy, he co-authored “Power Tools for Living,” which is available in 49 countries and used around the world. SALVADOR PRECIADO HEAD OF THE HERD Ever since he was a child in Trojes Michoacán, Mexico—where he grew up taking care of a farm with cows, goats, chickens, horses, and donkeys—Salvador (or “Sal”) has been passionate about animals. While he’s no longer the boy riding his beloved donkey “El Canelo” around the farm, Sal is still around animals each and every day, caring for our crew of lovable creatures at The Ranch. He loves milking the goats and feeding the horses, and his work doesn’t end when he heads home: Sal also tends to his own animals, and recently added a pony to the mix. KIP EVANS THE LENS MASTER Award-winning filmmaker, photographer, and explorer Kip Evans has led or participated in more than 60 expeditions throughout the world—including recent assignments in Antarctica, Chile, and the Galapagos Islands. He has worked on dozens of photo assignments for the National Geographic Society, and even lived underwater for 17 days in the Aquarius Habitat as the expedition photographer for Mission 31. Kip’s images have been featured in hundreds of books, exhibits, advertisements, and magazines worldwide, including National Geographic, Coastal Living, and Outside. A longtime resident of the Monterey Peninsula, he has been an instructor at The Ranch since 2012. 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