Encontro
About
Americana Casual A B O U T U S O U R C H E F S P O T L I G H T :
C A R D I F F C R A C K
ENCONTRO
N O R T H P A R K
We are Encontro — from the verb “Encontrar” — “To meet, to find, or to discover”. Conceived
to offer a new vision for craft beer & food in North Park. Seasonal, chef-driven dishes served in
a unique Paul Basile-designed space. Where cool coexists with quickness and convenience.
Discover us.
Executive Chef Jason Hotchkiss knows his way around the kitchen, as he comes to Encontro with years
of impressive restaurant and hospitality industry experience. In his previous position as director of
culinary operations for The Patio Group (The Patio on Goldfinch, The Patio on Lamont, Fireside by The
Patio, Saska’s Steak & Seafood), he was solely responsible for overseeing the consistency of quality
within their food and beverage program. Chef Jason’s passion for sourcing sustainably caught seafood
led him to obtain a Fish Receiver’s license so that he could purchase and receive the freshest catch
available for his restaurants.
Prior to his role with The Patio Group, Chef Jason held corporate chef positions at both the iconic Cohn
Restaurant Group and Whisknladle Hospitality organizations. And before relocating to San Diego, he
served as executive chef for the famed Bottega Louie in Los Angeles, where he managed a kitchen staff
of 80. During his four-year tenure, the restaurant garnered accolades in numerous publications
including “Top 10 New Restaurants” by Los Angeles Magazine and L.A.’s Best Restaurants by Angeleno
Magazine. His culinary expertise also gained him personal recognition in Gourmet Magazine in addition
to affording him the opportunity to teach at the Epicurean School of Culinary Arts in Los Angeles. Prior
to guiding the culinary team at Bottega Louie, Chef Jason worked at highly-acclaimed restaurants such
as San Francisco’s L’Entrecote de Paris and Café Kati. His successful track record also includes a previous
role as culinary partner at P.F. Chang’s, where he was responsible for menu development and growing
the organization from six restaurants to more than 200.
Chef Jason graduated from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, where he appeared on
“Cooking at the Academy.” In his spare time, Chef Jason enjoys fishing the local San Diego waters and is
passionate about connecting local purveyors of fish, game and vegetables with restaurant kitchens.
Cardiff Crack is a local slang term for a Burgundy Pepper Tri Tip offered by Seaside Market in
Cardiff by the Sea, California, USA. It is a USDA Choice tri tip that is trimmed, marinated, and
infused with a one-of-a-kind Burgundy Pepper marinade, which, through a secret process,
permeates the beef.
It is known as "Cardiff Crack" because its taste is considered addictive.
Cardiff Crack (originally called Burgundy Pepper Tri Tip, and later given the nickname "Cardiff
Crack" by customers) was created in 1986 at Cardiff Seaside Market by brothers Pete and John
Najjar, owners of the store. It began as an experiment with different spices and marinades to
create a unique, affordable item for grilling by locals at home and for the campers that
swarmed to San Elijo State Campground every year. Working with a local spice company, Pete
took the lead and through many trials, settled on a recipe that, when combined with the
secret vacuum tumbling process, resulted in the current offering. Only USDA Choice, U.S.
raised beef is used. The Burgundy Pepper Tri Tip sold steadily through the early 1990s and
sales began to rapidly increase beginning in 2003.