Chef/Owner
Klaus has been a part of the culinary scene since birth. His family, who immigrated to the United States from Europe, has been a mainstay of Monterey's hospitality scene for the past fifty years. Beyond ordinary evening meals, he has vivid memories of his family’s California vineyard and outdoor kitchen where large family gatherings were regularly hosted adjacent to the vines. These warm and elaborate productions left a lasting impression on Georis. He remains anchored to that land, where he and his brother planted their own grapes when he was just seven years old — grapes that still produce wine to this day.
Georis began his own personal culinary journey by staging at Plum Bar in Oakland for Chef Daniel Patterson. But it was after dining at the Michelin-star restaurant Quince that he truly fell in love with what he describes as the “symphony” of fine dining. He knocked on Quince’s door a few days later, eager to learn from the talented back-of-house crew, and started his first shift at 5 a.m. the very next day.
After a year at Quince, Georis staged at European restaurants such as Maaemo in Norway, Chez L’ami Jean in Paris, and finally at In De Wulf, Chef Kobe Desremault’s renowned Michelin-star, Pelligrino-rated restaurant Flanders, Belgium.
His internship at In De Wulf turned into three years of working directly under the esteemed Belgian chef. The challenge of using ingredients from within a thirty-mile radius, foraging for several hours a day, making butter, miso, cheese, and beer entirely from scratch, and working with whatever fish was caught that morning was exhilarating. Chef Georis sites this experience as one that transformed him into the chef he is today.
When Chef Kobe decided to close In De Wulf ‘s doors, Georis returned to the United States, where he began working for the Crenn Dining Group under Dominique Crenn, the only woman in the United States with three Michelin stars. He began at the beloved Petit Crenn before joining the opening team at Bar Crenn, which had just been awarded its first Michelin star. He continued to hone his skills alongside Chef Crenn and other outstanding talent, such as James-Beard-nominee and Executive Pastry Chef Juan Contreras. When COVID-19 closed down all Crenn Dining Group restaurants, he was asked by Research and Development Chef Jean-Christophe Bourguignon to return and prepare for outdoor service. Throughout much of the pandemic, Chef Georis was an integral part of the team at Atelier Crenn, Chef Dominique’s three-Michelin-star restaurant.
Chef Klaus Georis now looks forward to integrating these experiences into his own business. From utilizing local ingredients to creating a family-like atmosphere based on mutual respect and a love for hospitality, he has incorporated his values and love of hospitality into his first restaurant, Maligne.
