Corporate Pastry Chef Ben Spungin started his culinary career at sixteen working at the acclaimed Fosters Market. This experience of ‘simple harvest food’ gave Ben a foundation to base his ideals and ambitions. In 1996, Ben attended the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont earning his Associates degree. His school internship was at the Magnolia Grill in Durham under James Beard award-winning Chefs Ben and Karen Barker. After finishing school in 1998, he received a spontaneous opportunity opened at the French Laundry to work under Pastry Chef Stephen Durfee and Pastry Sous Shuna Lydon.
In 2000, Spungin accepted the Pastry Chef position at the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California, where he quickly developed an interest in working with wild and foraged ingredients. In 2005, he moved on to become the Pastry Chef at the Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley, CA, where he worked alongside Chef Cal Stamenov to develop pastry creations that complement the signature coastal cuisine. During his eight years with Stamenov, Spungin built relationships with many local foragers and farmers to create dishes that reflect the region’s bold, seasonal flavors. Spungin now brings this local focus and vast expertise to Coastal Luxury Management’s restaurant portfolio, as their Executive Pastry Chef overseeing all aspects of the sweet life at CLM.
