David Kinch has forged a distinctive culinary path putting him at the forefront of new contemporary California cuisine. His philosophy is fostered by the terroir, or "sense of place" of the California Coast, and the kind of ingredient-driven cooking and modern technique he studied around the world. Influenced by French and modern Catalan cooking, Kinch finds inspiration from European traditions and refinement, American ingenuity, and the vast bounty California offers. His pursuit for exceptional products inspired an exclusive partnership with Love Apple Farms, where most ingredients for Manresa are grown. This relationship creates a closed loop between the farm and kitchen assuring the dining experience imparts to guests a distinct sense of place and time.
Manresa earned three Michelin stars for 2016 and held two Michelin stars for nine consecutive years prior. Following a fire in 2014, Manresa reopened in 2015 receiving a Four Star review from the San Francisco Chronicle. In 2012, it was named one of Restaurant Magazine and San Pellegrino’s Top 50 Best Restaurants in the World. In 2013, Bon Appétit called Manresa one of the "20 Most Important Restaurants in America" and GQ magazine named him Chef of the Year in 2011. Kinch was a Semi-Finalist for the Outstanding Chef' award from the James Beard Foundation in 2014, and in 2010 he received the Foundation’s Best Chef: Pacific award. His first cookbook, titled "Manresa: An Edible Reflection" debuted in October 2013 and was number 19 on the New York Times Best Sellers List. The cookbook was nominated for the James Beard Foundation '"Cooking from a Professional Point of View" award and won the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) "Award for Global Design".