Carmen and Nick Perr fondly describe their Hillcrest eatery Cellar Hand as unapologetically Californian. Together with Executive Chef Logan Kendall, the couple set out to write a love letter to the Golden State through dishes made with hyper-locally sourced ingredients, much of it grown in San Diego County. The restaurant itself is akin to an art gallery, featuring works from local small businesses and the couple’s own paintings. The co-owners share with Beyondish the inspiration behind Cellar Hand’s vine-to-table dining experience and why, when it comes to finding the perfect ingredients, there really is no place like home.
Please tell us about your background and how you fell in love with food.
Our passion for food is inseparable from our love for wine. There’s nothing quite like the magic that happens when food, wine and life come together. Whether in conversation or solitude, with friends or alone, everything feels richer and more vibrant with good food and wine.
What are your earliest memories that inspired you?
It’s hard to pinpoint a single moment, but food has always been a significant part of our family’s collective memory. [Nick’s] father’s grandfather was a butcher in Brooklyn. They ate well. We both grew up in families where dinner together was important to the family dynamic. Our relationship and friendships are deeply rooted in sharing food, wine and time together over meals.
How did you two meet?
We met while at college at UCLA, coincidentally at a wine-themed party.
Nick, your family comes from the wine business. Was it always your plan to expand into the restaurant industry?
While wine will always be our first love, creating a complete sensory experience through food alongside our wines seemed like a natural progression and a fulfilling challenge. We wanted to apply the secrets we’ve learned from California’s vineyards to the culinary world as well. Cellar Hand is the culmination of our journey, bringing the essence of California’s bounty from vine to table.
How did the concept of Cellar Hand come about?
We wanted to get straight to the heart of California and share good, simple and approachable food and wine. The restaurant allows us to collaborate with inspired individuals who, like us, feel fortunate to be here. Our goal is to create a comfortable space where guests can enjoy a truly good, unfussy meal.
What inspired the restaurant’s design and décor?
Carmen dedicated a lot of time to designing the space. She aimed to create a comfortable environment where the architecture and design reflect our appreciation for California. In San Diego, this means plenty of open-air spaces and breezes, along with an elegant yet humble coastal vibe.
Nick, your artwork is displayed on the walls. Tell us about this.
I’m honored that the rest of the team wanted to include my paintings. Choosing the pieces was a bit of a patchwork process, with some created before the restaurant and others made specifically for it. The common theme is that they all reference California’s natural landscape. One painting, depicting fish dry aging, was particularly fun because Carmen and I created it together. It feels like my personal contribution to our all-hands-on-deck approach to creating what we believe is a very special restaurant.
You also feature other local artists. How do you select the pieces to display?
Chef Logan is great friends with the people behind Maek Ceramics, a local small business and pottery studio. They were involved in our project from the beginning, and many items on our menu were created specifically with their custom ceramics in mind. Their beautiful ceramics not only are our presentation, but also helped shape our menu, like the custom ‘tins’ they created for serving our ‘tinned’ fish.
How did the collaboration with Chef Logan come about?
Chef Logan first cooked at a pop-up event we hosted at our wine tasting room in Little Italy many years ago. We kept in touch and when a position opened up, Logan was the natural choice. He fits perfectly with our team because of his passion for high-quality ingredients and simple, unadulterated foods.
What kinds of challenges did you face opening the restaurant?
Challenges are a part of every business we’ve been involved in and naturally there were many during the construction phase. We don’t expect the challenges to stop, but we aim to build on our experiences and be well-equipped to handle them as they inevitably arise. If you don’t like challenges, we’ll save you some pain. The restaurant industry isn’t for you.
How did you keep each other going despite those early hiccups?
Our shared vision and mutual support have been crucial. We remind each other of the bigger picture and the community we’re building.
Talk about your favorite menu items at Cellar Hand. What makes them so unique and delicious?
Wow, where to begin. Each dish can stand alone as a favorite on different occasions. We bake all of our bread ourselves, which is something we’re really proud of. The pita is probably the heart of the restaurant. It’s house-fermented and fired and can be ordered with three different dips, but the creamy whipped tahina is a favorite.
Aly’s crudo highlights the freshness of locally caught seafood and allows the flavors of the fish to speak for themselves. The chicken liver pâté with orange wine jelly on seeded toast was a last-minute addition to our opening menu, after learning that Thompson Heritage Ranch had a surplus of chicken livers they were looking to sell. It’s a mix of textures and flavors — creamy, tart, sweet and savory. We offer a crispy rockfish served on labne with cucumber, radish and grapefruit. It’s so fresh and just a really feel-good main course.
Finally, the pork chop from Thompson Heritage Ranch. If there’s one “must order” dish on the menu, this is likely it. When Chef Logan visited the farm for the first time, Ty Thompson shoveled a mouthful of his “pig feed” into his own mouth to prove a point that his pigs are raised differently, eating food that he himself would eat.
Please tell us about your wine and cocktail selection.
Our wine list at Cellar Hand is a curated and ever-changing selection of about 45 of California’s diverse wines, many of which we produce ourselves. The wines on our list come from boutique wineries that embrace minimal intervention and natural winemaking practices. Most are fermented with native yeasts, without additives, and are unrefined and unfiltered.
What do you love most about the San Diego food scene?
There’s a general excitement in San Diego around food and the city’s restaurants. Locals are eager to support and show up for good food, and chefs and restaurateurs are supportive of one another. We’re happy to be a part of this vibrant community and confident that the city’s culinary landscape will continue to evolve and grow.
Last but not least, what’s coming up for you and Cellar Hand?
We’re planning community events and aim to start hosting a series of winemaker dinners by the end of the year. These events will introduce Hillcrest and San Diego to exceptional winemakers. We also will continue to highlight and support local farmers, and will look for more creative and interactive ways to do that.
AUTHOR
Marc Cuenco is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer with over 10 years of experience covering pop culture, food, fashion and lifestyle. A healthcare professional by day, Marc spends his free time taking photos of his puppy Chandler and exploring L.A.’s diverse food scene.
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