A historic La Jolla hotel has a new executive chef for its three restaurants.
La Valencia Hotel, the “Pink Lady” at 1132 Prospect St., recently named Alex Pailles (above) executive chef heading up the iconic property’s three restaurants – the Mediterranean Room, the Med Patio, and La Sala lobby bar.
A Mexican native whose mother was a pastry chef, Pailles cut his culinary teeth locally as chef de cuisine at The Marine Room. That fine dining establishment at 1950 Spindrift Drive in La Jolla Shores is renowned for its “high tide” dinners, where the ocean laps against its picture windows as guests dine.
In 2017, Pailles joined The Marine Room’s esteemed culinary team where he climbed the ranks to sous chef under executive chefs Bernard Guilles and Mike Minor. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led him to launch a catering business specializing in Asian-influenced, Latin-Mediterranean cuisine.
Asked if the culinary trade is a family tradition, Pailles replied, “More or less. My mom used to make pastries for wedding cakes.” He added, “There was a moment in time when I was watching my mom finesse food. She encouraged me to go to new lengths in my career.”
Before working in La Jolla, Pailles worked extensively in many far-flung spots. “I started at a yacht club in Pasadena, which was an eye-opening experience in terms of my development of fundamental skills,” he related adding, “Those experiences push you in a different direction.”
Then Pailles was offered an international opportunity to further his career in Spain. He described that experience as “another culture shock in a very positive way, something really hard to put into words.”
Able to see firsthand European versus American high-end cuisine, Pailles noted that it “really changes your mentality on things.”
While in Barcelona, Pailles gained invaluable experience at the Michelin-starred Xerta Restaurant, under the guidance of chef Fran López, a protégé of the world-renowned chef Alain Ducasse. There, he mastered the intricacies of fine dining and hyper-local cuisine.
Of LaV’s trio of restaurants he is now in charge of, the new executive chef points out all three and their approximately 20 employees “work together and thrive off teamwork. Every single employee plays a vital part.”
Each of the three restaurants is unique. Pailles said the Mediterranean Room “thrives on its finesse and its fresh ingredients,” whereas La Sala has more of a “casual tapas theme” where you can share a glass of wine, and the Med Patio is known for its terrace dining overlooking the ocean.
Currently, Pailles is revolutionizing the culinary offerings at the property’s restaurants. He is pushing the boundaries of California’s coastal cuisine and incorporating diverse influences, including those from Mexico. Consequently, he is redefining the dining experience at La Valencia.
Pailles is excited by his new role and driven by his passion for complex flavors and a commitment to continuous improvement while respecting tradition. For Pailles, food has its language. His distinctive approach involves creating complex flavor journeys on a plate, often combining multiple dishes into one cohesive experience.
Heading toward LaV’s centennial celebration in 2026, Pailles is working with his food purveyors to “get as much local produce and fish as possible.” He concluded, “We want to make sure we are lowering our carbon footprint as well as working on our sustainability. We want to make sure what we serve is available all the time, and tastes delicious at the same time.”
Asked what advice he’d give patrons of fine dining, Pailles replied: “Stay curious and always try something. When you try it and get surprised – it creates an experience.”
