5th ANNUAL ARTSEA CAFÉ PERFORMING CHEF
Andrew Ryland Spurgin
Executive Director/Chef
Waters Fine Catering – San Diego
Andrew Spurgin has built a culinary career spanning three decades. He has designed and prepared menus and events honoring dignitaries from U.S. Presidents Clinton and Reagan, Soviet Union President Gorbachev, and Israeli Prime Minister Peres, to California Governors Wilson and Davis, and even Martha Stewart. Some of his regular clients include Cartier, Nissan Design, Tiffany & Co., Bloomingdale's and Callaway Golf. Event Solutions Magazine honored him nationally in 2004 as Caterer of the Year.
A champion of sustainable, handcrafted, organic, and regional foods, Andrew grew up in London, working in his relative's restaurant and butcher shop. His aunts introduced him early to the bounty of local purveyors at London's historic Borough Market where he “worked” at a young age. His family moved to San Diego in 1974.
Promoted at age 19 to banquet manager for a major area resort, Andrew then moved on to become chef and baker of one of California's first handcrafted, on-premise bakery/restaurants. He was director of catering at Southern California's celebrated Piret's, and at several other respected catering firms. Andrew has consulted and cooked with London's Mustard Catering Ltd. and has been tutored by the cheesemongers at Neal's Yard Dairy also in London.
With regular lectures on sustainability, cooking and entertaining, his events, interviews and photos have been featured in numerous local and national magazines, radio and TV. In 2001, to address growing concern for the environment, he co-founded passionfish.org an innovative educational concern addressing seafood sustainability issues.
Andrew sits on the Advisory Board of Catering Magazine and is an Associate Board Member of the Slow Food Convivium San Diego. He is a past member of the Director's Cabinet for Scripps Institution of Oceanography and is an E.W. Scripps Associate. Currently, he is working with other educators, marine biologists, fishermen and chefs on a national project for the Blue Ocean Institute’s “Green Chefs Blue Ocean” program developing a national curriculum for culinary students and continuing education for chefs. He has also cooked at the renowned James Beard House in New York City
After driving Land Rovers for 25 years, Andrew suffers from acute petroleum remorse and can be found more often driving his much more fuel-efficient "retro" Triumph motorcycle. His favorite place to be is in or near the ocean.
