Chef Emily Brubaker is the Resort Executive Chef and Culinary Director at the Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, California. She was one of the 4 incredible finalists in our 2025 LA Chef Con Center Stage competition! We recently interviewed her to learn a little bit more about her culinary journey. Read the full interview below and don’t forget to follow her on Instagram!
Can you share a bit about your culinary journey to this point?
I began my career at the Ritz Carlton Lake Las Vegas, where I was fortunate to work alongside incredibly talented chefs who were tucked away from the Strip. That setting gave me the rare gift of one-on-one time to really dive into the craft. As a team, we pushed boundaries with creativity while staying grounded in seasonality and technique. It was there, with the guidance of my first mentor Jeremy Bearman — and later with my husband, Jake Brubaker — that I learned a core truth I still carry: always make food delicious but make it to the very best of your ability. Master the techniques, then refine and play, but never lose sight of the fundamentals.
In Las Vegas, I had the chance to work for some of the industry’s true icons. A turning point was my time at Joël Robuchon’s 3-Michelin-star restaurant at the MGM Grand. That kitchen was silent, efficient, precise, and artful — and I discovered I loved both the exacting details and the organic flow of food. I fell in love with the process itself, whether slow and patient or quick and sizzling.
Another defining chapter came with the opening of Sage at Aria under Shawn McClain. His style — blending cuisines into thoughtful, award-winning dishes — resonated deeply with me. Our kitchen was a band of misfits and pirates delivering fine dining with intensity and heart. We lived by the motto that the last table of the night deserved the same perfection as the first. At Sage, I learned to cook with both my heart and mind: to take technique and apply it playfully, to connect with farmers and ranchers so we truly understood the ingredients, and to bring our staff into that same passion. Beyond the food, Sage gave me community and belonging. I’ll never forget those late-night Korean BBQ sessions talking about the latest produce treasures we’d discovered.
After my daughter was born, I stepped away from the kitchen — two chefs with two babies was unsustainable. I shifted into wholesale for specialty imports, gaining valuable insight into producers, the food supply system, and how ingredients shape menus. But ultimately, I missed the kitchen. During COVID, I returned to help open a local Italian restaurant in Summerlin. The spark reignited as I immersed myself in menu development — testing, tasting, costing, refining. That success led to a role as R&D/Task Force Chef for a local restaurant group, where I had the privilege of helping other chefs bring their visions to life while also learning the nuts and bolts of building restaurants from the ground up. It turned out to be one of the most rewarding chapters of my career.
Eventually, my family and I chose to leave Las Vegas for Carlsbad, California, to give our kids the kind of beach-town upbringing I had. I took a leap into leadership as Executive Chef at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. This role has been an entirely different beast, but with the right team, every challenge is worth it. Coming full circle in my hometown feels like the most meaningful step yet — a chance to bring my journey, my craft, and my heart back home.
You won Season 1 of “Yes, Chef!” on NBC. What was that experience like and what did you learn from it?
It was a blind and scary leap for me. I’ve never been someone who craves the spotlight — I’ve always preferred to be the supportive role behind other talented chefs. But sometimes you have to take a risk and trust the process. When I was first approached about the show, I thought, “There’s no harm in going through the interviews,” but I never imagined I’d actually be cast.
Being on “Yes, Chef!” forced me to confront the boundaries I had built for myself. I realized that the glass ceiling holding me back was one I had created, and the only way forward was to break through it. I had to push myself to let go of stubbornness, lean into confidence, and quiet that inner critic. My internal monologue was constantly, “Bite your tongue” or “You’ve got this.”
With guidance from Martha and José, I started to see myself for who I truly am as a chef — not who others say I am. I stopped getting tangled in what people thought of me and started focusing on what I bring to the table. Winning was incredible, but the real victory was learning to believe in myself.
How do you approach menu development, and what influences your culinary creations?
For me, menu development always begins with seasonality. I look at what’s fresh, what’s selling well, and what trends are shaping the culinary world. In fall, for example, you’ll always see pumpkins, pears, and root vegetables, but every year there’s also something new — like when honeynut squash first came on the scene or when pluots were introduced years ago. I love exploring how to take these familiar or emerging ingredients and use them in ways that feel fresh and exciting.
My process is very collaborative and curiosity-driven. I’ll scroll through Chef’s Roll, flip through magazines, pick up the phone to bounce ideas off chef friends — sometimes the concepts click, sometimes they flop, and sometimes they turn into major wins. For me, it’s about staying open, playful, and willing to test until the right dish emerges.
As the culinary director of OMNI La Costa, what is your favorite or most rewarding part of the job?
Without a doubt, it’s my team. Many of our cooks and chefs have been here for years, and seeing them curious about my cooking and excited to grow alongside me is incredibly rewarding. There’s nothing better than watching someone light up with pride over a dish they’ve created.
I’m fortunate to work with an incredible chef team — they’re constantly pushing limits, and I love giving them the space and opportunity to shine in their own right. For me, the most fulfilling part of leadership is not just cooking, but building an environment where everyone wants to work hard, grow, and succeed together. One team, one dream.
Tell us about one of your culinary goals for the future.
Since I’ve just arrived, my immediate goal is to keep growing our culinary program into something truly new and exciting. In Carlsbad, hotels aren’t typically thought of as dining destinations — they’re more often just a convenient option for guests. I want to change that. My vision is for our restaurants to become places where both locals and visitors come because they want to dine with us, not just because they’re staying with us.
Looking further ahead, I’d love to write a book (maybe even two), and one day — way down the road — my husband and I dream of opening a little place of our own. It’s been our shared dream for as long as I can remember, and I know that time will come.
What is important to you when building your brand as a chef?
For me, it’s about staying true to who I am. I’m a straightforward, “tell-it-like-it-is” person — and while that may rub some people the wrong way, it’s part of my integrity. I want my brand to reflect that same honesty and authenticity, both in how I lead and in the food I create.
I believe being genuine is a lost art in today’s world, and I never want to lose that. Technical food doesn’t have to mean boring food — it just requires thoughtfulness, planning, and care. At the end of the day, my goal is simple: to make food that makes people happy. Food should always be cooked with love, and that only happens when you lead with your heart.
Photo header credit to Howard Lipin @howardlipin
