Art on a plate

January/February 2023 California Bountiful magazine

Chef adds ‘fun spin’
to ranch cuisine

Story by Barbara Arciero
Photos by Karen Pavone

Chef Stacey Hughes views food from an artist’s perspective—which isn’t surprising considering she holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts.

“I worked in the music industry for a long time, doing concert posters and album covers and sets for music videos,” she says. She also worked with restaurant groups on projects such as lighting design and faux painting.

Fast forward several years and a few career iterations later, and Hughes is now executive chef of the Inn at Newport Ranch, a luxury waterfront property in Fort Bragg.

“Cooking is like another art form for me, just playing with color and texture and flavors and different techniques,” she says. “But I really also love entertaining and I love hosting parties and I love feeding people.”

Hughes, who was born in L.A. but grew up in New England, says her mother ignited her passion for cooking and entertaining.

“Certain flavors and aromas stimulate my senses and evoke happy childhood memories of friend and family gatherings,” she says. “As a little girl, I used to sit on the stairs—long after I was tucked into bed—listening to the laughter, hearing the glasses clink, watching the candlelight flicker and inhaling all of the intoxicating smells of the special dinner parties that my mother used to host.”

Hughes honors that tradition at the Inn at Newport Ranch, serving what she calls elevated ranch cuisine—“very rustic, with a little bit of a fun spin on it.” Pops of her colorful personality complement fresh, local ingredients and classic technique. 

“If it looks good, you’ve already won them over halfway,” she says. “And then if it tastes good and it’s prepared properly, you’ve hit a home run.”

Barbara Arciero