An hour north of San Diego, the restaurant at Temecula Creek Inn has a new menu built almost entirely around fire and a garden you can see from your table. Chef Jonathan Alcala has taken over as executive chef of the property, which means Corkfire, the inn’s signature restaurant, plus events and the culinary programming around them. If you’ve been looking for a reason to drive up into wine country for dinner, the new Ember section of the menu is a decent one.
Who Alcala is
He’s a Culinary Institute of America graduate (the Napa Valley campus) who grew up around Baja cooking — family carne asada, mariscada, fishing trips with his father. That shows up in how he talks about food: seasonality, conviviality, and knowing where the ingredients came from. He says he’s committed to responsible sourcing and building relationships with local farmers and purveyors.
The résumé is heavy on Southern California wine country and San Diego County kitchens:
- Executive Chef at Carter Hospitality Group, his most recent role, for more than two years
- Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Director at Mount Palomar Winery
- Executive Chef at Casa de las Campanas
- Chef de Cuisine at La Jolla Country Club
“Chef Jonathan Alcala brings a perspective that feels deeply connected to Temecula, where agriculture, community and the outdoors naturally come together. His cooking reflects that, and the garden-and-flame direction he is bringing to Corkfire creates exactly the kind of sensory, memorable dining experience that encourages people to slow down, share a meal and really take in where they are.” — Stan Gershkovich, general manager, Temecula Creek Inn
What’s on the new menu at Corkfire
The kitchen calls its approach garden-and-flame: seasonal California produce from the on-site Chef’s Garden, cooked with ember roasting, wood-fire grilling and smoke infusion. Dinner now has a dedicated Ember section for the flame-driven plates.
- Pork Chop with citrus brine and mesquite tomato marmalade
- Braised Short Rib with herb gremolata and cherry tomato vinaigrette
- Salmon with smoked lemon yogurt and chermoula
Expect Mediterranean-leaning flavors cut with fresh herbs and citrus. Brunch and happy hour have both been expanded, though the release doesn’t spell out days or times for either.
The Chef’s Garden and a 30-seat farm table
The bigger news for anyone planning a group dinner: the inn is opening a newly landscaped Chef’s Garden right next to Corkfire, with a 30-seat communal farm table and a custom-built bar and grill. The idea is chef-led, multi-course meals made from produce growing a few steps away — an outdoor setting for small-group dinners, birthdays and private events.
Worth the drive?
Temecula Creek Inn sits in Southern California wine country with golf courses, walking trails and vineyard views, and its rooms came through a multi-million-dollar renovation. From most of San Diego County it’s a straightforward drive up I-15 — close enough for dinner, easy enough to turn into an overnight if you’re tasting wine the next day.