UPPER LAKE >> Effective January 1, Christine DePasquale will assume the position of overall restaurant manager at the Blue Wing Restaurant in Upper Lake. Sous chef Pablo Aguilar has been promoted to Chef, reporting to Christine.
Blue Wing owner Lynne Butcher commented that “Christine has made significant contributions since coming on board as front of house manager in August. Hopefully our customers have noticed some of these service improvements. Fortunately, Christine also has extensive culinary credentials which should help her to work with chef Pablo in making further enhancements to our food offerings at the Blue Wing.”
DePasquale graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York in 2000. She went on to work as a line cook at the prestigious Rainier Club and at the French restaurant Campagne in Seattle. She then became chef at a private catering company at the Stimson Green Mansion in Seattle’s historic First Hill neighborhood.
Seeking sunshine, she relocated to Florida to accept a sous chef position at the Ritz Carlton in Sarasota in late 2004. DePasquale then switched to front-of-house operations two years later. She has also been a server, trainer and event coordinator at Roy’s Restaurant in Sarasota and the upscale Flour and Water Restaurant in San Francisco.
DePasquale came to Lake County for family reasons in 2015.
“I didn’t know much about the area before coming here,” she said, “but I absolutely love it now.”
Before joining the Blue Wing as front-of-house manager last August, DePasquale worked part time at O’Meara Brothers Brewery in Lakeport, as a caterer in the Napa Valley, as culinary director at Rivino Winery in Ukiah and as a food and beverage instructor at Mendocino College.
“I’m really happy to be making hopefully a long-term commitment to the Blue Wing,” she said. “The restaurant has a solid reputation in the community and many great people work here. I see lots of opportunities to work with the owners and staff to continue growing the business.”
Aguilar joined the Blue Wing kitchen after the closure of Bigg’s Restaurant in Lakeport in 2012. He was promoted to sous chef in 2016 and assumed overall management of the kitchen early this year.
“Pablo is a great guy with strong food preparation skills,” said Blue Wing owner Bernie Butcher. “He’s done a first-rate job upgrading our menu options this past year and, as our chef working with Christine, we expect even better things to come.”
Tallman Hotel Manager Susan Mesick is particularly happy to have DePasquale on board. “We are in constant contact with the Blue Wing on the food aspects of our special hotel events,” she says. “Having Christine in overall charge there should make everything run smoothly for our customers.”
The Blue Wing Restaurant opened in 2005. It is open for lunch and dinner daily.
