One chef is bringing his experience at Michelin-star restaurants and passion for locally sourced cuisine to Mountain View. With a career spanning over 15 years, Stan Michalski was recently hired as the new executive chef at Chez TJ, a contemporary French cuisine restaurant on Villa Street that has also earned a Michelin star.
Stepping into this new role in early January, Michalski said he has two main goals: keeping business steady and earning the restaurant a second Michelin star within the next two years.
“We’re going to be flipping the menu as often as possible,” Michalski said. “We’re going to be hyper-focused on always improving.”
At Chez TJ, Michalski said he plans to reinforce his commitment to locally sourced ingredients, a cornerstone of his culinary philosophy. He is taking a hands-on approach to sourcing produce by revamping the restaurant’s own garden. Working with the gardener, he aims to expand and enhance the variety of vegetables grown on site.
Michalski said he discovered this passion for locally sourced cuisine early in his career, while working as a line cook at L’Espalier in Boston. There, he learned the value of farm-to-table dining and freshly grown produce.
“There was a farm probably an hour from Boston that we would go to, and we’d have vegetables in there and chickens,” he said. “It was pretty eye opening to see some of those processes (from) start to finish, especially at such an early age.”
Since then, Michalski’s culinary journey has taken him across the world, from the coastal regions of the United States to the capital cities of Europe, he said. In particular, he recalls the time he spent in Paris while traveling abroad.
“There’s just endless, endless inspiration around every corner, whether you’re visiting wineries, fromageries or different types of markets,” he said.
Throughout his career, Michalski said he has always emphasized the importance of hospitality and improving the guest experience. He plans to bring this commitment to his new role at Chez TJ.
“The way I like to think of it is you’re just cooking for your closest friends,” he said. “Here at Chez TJ, since it’s so small, it’s basically like a large dinner party every night.”
Similarly, his friends and coworkers said they admire his caring personality and unwavering dedication, which he exemplifies in the kitchen. Chef Matt Hall, for instance, worked with him at Quince in San Francisco, where he witnessed Michalski’s love for hospitality.
“He’s always very thoughtful, and I think that carries into why he likes to cook and work in the hospitality industry,” Hall said. “If there’s a guest coming in (with) a lot of dietary restrictions, he’ll go way out of his way to prepare a special menu just for that one guest.”
Nick Pfannerstill, his longtime friend and former coworker, echoed these sentiments. Working with Michalski at Dovetail in New York City, the chef said he was inspired by Michalski’s leadership abilities, discipline and dedication, which always brought out the best in others. Both Pfannerstill and Hall said they were deeply inspired by these qualities.
“The work ethic is one thing that’s really blown me away about him — I’ve just never met someone who’s (like that)” Hall said. “He’s meant to be a chef.”
Chez TJ, located at 938 Villa St., is open 5:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 5-8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For reservations and more information, call (650) 964-7466 or visit cheztj.com.
