Meet the TRACE Team
EXECUTIVE CHEF - PAUL PISCOPO
Executive Chef Paul Piscopo attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and upon graduating began his professional career at Aqua in San Francisco. He then moved on to Oliveto in Oakland, before teaming up with the renowned chef Ron Siegel, at Charles Nob Hill. Paul was responsible for opening a signature restaurant based on Charles in Tokyo.
Chef Paul was able to connect with local farmers while working as a private chef in the produce rich area of Rancho Santa Fe, where his love of farm-to-table cuisine was developed. Paul then returned to San Francisco to join the culinary team at Masa's, one of the country's top rated restaurants.
At W San Francisco's XYZ restaurant, Chef Paul has tempted palates with modern Californian cuisine, incorporating locally grown and sustainable ingredients that take taste buds on a virtual tour of the entire Bay Area.
Paul Piscopo is an avid surfer and outdoor enthusiast with a strong connection to nature that shines through his culinary philosophy. Working with farmers and artisans in the Bay Area, Paul is able to deliver the freshest farm-to-table cuisine.
Paul was named a Rising Star Chef by StarChefs.com, a James Beard House invitee as well as awarded three stars by San Francisco Chronicle Food Critic Michael Bauer.
In Summer 2011, W San Francisco unveiled its new restaurant, TRACE, which fuses the vibrant, local personality of the Bay Area with a dedication to socially responsible food. Chef Paul has long been dedicated to conscious cuisine, and continues to lead his team to forage, farm, craft and hunt for the freshest ingredients, serving meals that can confidently be traced back to natural origins.
EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF - ALAUN GRIMAUD
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Chef Alaun Grimaud credits his mother Melissa for instilling in him a passion for great food. In 2004 Alaun enrolled at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco where he gained the foundation to begin his career in professional kitchens.
Alaun's first exposure to hotel restaurants came early as he worked at the Pan Pacific Hotel in San Francisco, the Claremont Resort in Berkeley, and the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego. In 2007 Alaun joined the team at Manresa, the two Michelin star restaurant led by Chef David Kinch. This was his first opportunity to work with fine ingredients such as whole suckling pigs, whole baby lambs, live abalone and amazing produce from Love Apple farms in Santa Cruz, which taught him the true sense of farm-to-table cuisine.
Alaun moved on to San Francisco's famed Boulevard restaurant under James Beard Award winning Chef Nancy Oakes.
In 2008 Alaun returned to the Rancho Bernardo Inn, this time as Executive Sous Chef, where during his tenure the fine dining restaurant, El Bizcocho, was the first and only restaurant in San Diego to receive 5 stars from San Diego food critic Naomi Wise.
In 2010, Alaun returned home to San Francisco as Executive Sous Chef of the W San Francisco. Working closely with Executive Chef Paul Piscopo, Alaun has continued to work with the best seasonal ingredients at three-star restaurant XYZ.
In Summer 2011, W San Francisco unveiled its new restaurant, TRACE, which fuses the vibrant, local personality of the Bay Area with a dedication to socially responsible food. Alaun has a strong focus on sourcing the freshest, highest quality products, and cultivating strong partnerships with local and regional farmers, fishermen, artisanal producers and distributors of sustainable and organic food and beverage products. This new role brings his passion for farm-to-table cuisine full circle- and make his mama proud.