Brian Collins, chef and owner, Ember, Arroyo Grande

The owner and chef behind Ember in Arroyo Grande, Brian Collins knew he wanted to start a restaurant from a young age, but it took a charmed moment at the back door of Berkeley’s famed Chez Panisse Restaurant to get the ball rolling. Brian discusses growing up in Arroyo Grande, attending culinary school as a young father, his long partnership with his wife Harmony Collins, and the rumor that a live monkey lived in the building that would become Ember’s home.

Website: emberwoodfire.com

Instagram: @emberrestaurant