Top wine and culinary talents team up for MCHA’s 50th anniversary dinner
Community gala will feature the work of eight accomplished chefs and five Santa Lucia Highlands producers MONTEREY, Calif., Feb. 18, 2025 – Community members can savor food and wine pairings by eight standout chefs in one sitting, when the Monterey County Hospitality Association (MCHA) presents its 50th anniversary gala on March 14. A Legacy of Hospitality will spotlight […]
MCHA Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient - Ted J. Balestreri
Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Ted Balestreri moved to the Monterey Peninsula in 1957, and over the next 25 years became a national figure in the restaurant and food service industries. The youngest ever President of the National Restaurant Association, he served in 1984 and is on the Board to this day. In 1968, Balestreri opened […]
MCHA 2024 Hospitality Professional of the Year - Sabu Shake Jr.
Sabu JR Shake was born and raised in Monterey, California. He is the fourth son of Isabella Shake and the late Sabu Shake, Sr., and brother to Benji, Chris, Angelo, Tene, and his late brother David. He is a devout Catholic and proud father of five children and three grandchildren. Sabu attended Monterey and Carmel schools and graduated […]
MCHA opens its 50th year with a community celebration
Culinary surprises, entertainment and awards on tap for March 2025 hospitality gala MONTEREY, Calif., Jan. 15, 2025 – Fifty years after local hotel and restaurant professionals first teamed up to support tourism businesses, the Monterey County Hospitality Association (MCHA) will commemorate its golden anniversary in 2025. The public is invited to kick off the celebration […]
Transportation upgrades expand access for residents and visitors
Monterey Regional Airport Executive Director Michael La Pier refers to air service development as a team sport. That’s why he reached out to the county’s hospitality industry after joining the airport team in 2016. “We engaged them to help us bring in new airlines and larger aircraft," says La Pier, a current Monterey County Hospitality […]
Multiple generations of the Morales family excel in hospitality
Post Ranch Inn Houseman Juan Morales might not always cross paths with the guests he serves, but he plays a central role in their Big Sur experiences. The 24-year property veteran works hard behind the scenes, taking note of people’s likes, dislikes and dietary needs so he can stock in-room minibars to their tastes. Each […]
In Celebration of Service
Local legendary businesses recognize decades of hospitality By Lisa Crawford Watson Much of what makes the Monterey Peninsula and its coastal communities to the south so dynamic, is the pairing of land and sea with the history of what has happened here. For 200 years, the restless waters have ferried scores of stalwart folks to […]
Donated hotel furnishings add warmth to nonprofit offices and homes
By Teri Owens Early next year, low-income veterans and their families will move into the 70-unit Lightfighter Village complex on the former Fort Ord. As Veterans Transition Center (VTC) teams prepare to open the new apartments, they have been collecting furniture, housewares and other items to help residents feel at home. Community Reuse Network founder […]
Extraordinary employees take top honors at 35th MCHA Hospitality Recognition Lunch
The 2024 awards spotlight excellence in guest service, safety, longevity and teamwork MONTEREY, Calif., Nov. 6, 2024 – Nearly 600 people celebrated local hospitality employees and their community impact at the 35th annual MCHA Hospitality Recognition Lunch. Nine standout professionals received special awards during the November 6 event, which was hosted by the Monterey County […]
Coalition Position on Early Lifting of Cease and Desist Order - July 15, 2024
The Coalition of Monterey Peninsula Businesses has released the following Policy Statement on lifting the Monterey Peninsula’s Cease and Desist Order and Related Construction Moratoria imposed by the State Water Resources Control Board in 1995. As a member of the Coalition, MCHA supports the Statement and continues to work towards a long-term water solution that […]
The Culture of Community Engagement
Hospitality is a community-wide effort Back in the day, San Francisco’s burgeoning hub of drinking and dining warranted the establishment of a restaurant association to foster growth and support collaboration. Los Angles had one, as well. But Monterey County, the hospitality hub in the middle, was without the same governance, until some 20 or 30 […]
For hospitality professionals, helping others comes first
Any industry employing more than 25,000 people is positioned to make an impact, but that’s especially true of hospitality. As Monterey County’s second-largest industry, tourism generated $307 million in local and state taxes in 2022. Still, the hospitality’s real influence extends beyond revenues. Area hotels, restaurants, wineries, attractions and retailers give time and money to […]
Spotlight on Hospitality: Papa Vince award winner builds lasting connections
Richard Yarnold has enough stories to fill a book. In fact, he’s filled six. The 73-year-old Fishwife bartender is circulating his seventh personal guest book, expanding a collection of sketches, poems and heartfelt stories penned by his Pacific Grove customers. He started the tradition while working at Monterey’s Chart House, creating a simple record of […]
MCHA delivers ‘magical moments’ at awards luncheon in Monterey
An event at the Monterey Conference Center on Wednesday lived up to its theme by providing two “magical moments” for one of the day’s award winners. Richard Yarnold of the Fishwife Restaurant in Pacific Grove, won the coveted “Papa Vince Award” in addition to the “Focus on Guest Experience Award” at the Monterey County Hospitality […]
