Yekatarina Balagian, Tower Bridge Dinner Lead Chef
Seasons Kitchen and Bar
Chef Yekaterina Balagian was born in Yerevan, Armenia and was raised in Providence, RI in a family that placed a huge emphasis on eating together and feeding others. Growing up, she fondly remembers the years of having four generations together at the dinner table for every meal.
She has worked in restaurants and bakeries from here to the Bay Area such as La Mediterranee, Katrina Rozelle, Dyafa, Coi, Catta Verdera Country Club and Allora. Katerina has dedicated her career to giving back to her community and has volunteered her time and culinary skills to prepare meals for the unhoused. She is a member of 100+ Women Who Care and Les Dames Escoffier and has also partnered and volunteered with local nonprofits such as CityTeam Oakland, Lean on Me (Sacramento) and YOLO Food Bank, that work on addressing food insecurity, helping to ensure that everyone has access to nutritious meals, among other initiatives.
After many cumulative years in the industry, Katerina decided to go back to her roots and make food that reminds her of why she started cooking in the first place. This journey brought her to Seasons Kitchen & Bar in Davis, where she creates locally sourced, seasonally inspired menus that borrow elements from the dishes she grew up eating at home, offering the same warm hospitality she grew up with at home.
