Prior to relocating to Southern California, Joe Sasto dove head-first into the restaurant industry by mentoring under some of the Bay Area’s most acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs. Early in his career, Sasto found it difficult to get a foot in the door in the culinary industry after forgoing the traditional path of culinary school. Instead, he spent his undergraduate years at University of California at Davis, largely sustained by cooking gigs and a driving passion for food, which he learned at a young age cooking by his mother’s side.

Following a break to travel through Europe, Sasto brought his newfound international inspiration to Quince, where spent three years at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant. Under Chef Michael Tusk, Sasto was trusted to manage the handmade pasta program at Quince, learning the ropes and roots from one of America’s most celebrated Italian-influenced chefs.

Later, as Executive Sous Chef at Lazy Bear, Sasto maintained his strong, cultivated relationships with local farmers and is passionate about showcasing their work on the plate. At both Quince and Lazy Bear, Sasto has been an integral member of the team, impacting the rise from one to three-Michelin stars, and one to two-Michelin stars.

After relocating to Los Angeles, Joe has begun focusing on pursing his personal goal of opening his own restaurant, and is currently traveling the country hosting private events, fine-dining dinner parties, and pop-up feasts. Joe has appeared on two seasons of Bravo TV’s Top Chef, Season 15 where he was a finalist and the upcoming Season 17 Top Chef All Stars.