In
1991, Stu was honored with the Champagne Mumm Award
for Culinary Excellence while working as Sous Chef at
the Chicago restaurant La Fontaine (later to be called
Jean Claude’s). Over the next few years Stu Stien's
culinary skills took him on tour fine tunning his skills
working and studying in France for several months with
the legendary chefs Paul Bocuse of Lyon and Francis
Garcia of Bordeaux. Upon his return to th US Atlanta,
Missouri and Washington, D.C. were his next ports of
call.
Whilst cooking at the Oval Room as Executive Chef ,
Stu was asked to participate in the International Pinot
Noir Festival, held in Oregon. He immediately became
enamored with the Pacific Northwest and accepted a position
at the California Culinary Academy as a Chef Instructor.
In January 2000, Stu joined The Peerless Restaurant
in Ashland, Oregon,
as Executive Chef and co-owner. Fresh, bold flavors,
and seasonal Pacific Northwest cuisine are The Peerless
Restaurant’s trademarks, and the high quality of the
food and the relaxed atmosphere have quickly made the
restaurant a dining destination. Under the direction
of Stu Stein and his wife (co-owner and Executive Chef)
Mary Hinds, The Peerless Restaurant is the only restaurant
in Ashland and one of only two restaurants in Southern
Oregon to win a coveted Wine Spectator Award of Excellence
for 2001.(about
Mary Hinds)