Santos MacDonal

The Path

The progression points to a cook developing range without losing control, moving through familiar addresses with the kind of consistency that comes from technique, timing, and kitchen judgment. From there, he moved into Executive Chef roles at Bridge Restaurant in Los Angeles, California, and L’Angolo Cafe in Los Angeles, California, carrying that accumulated pace into positions that asked for more direct command. Today, Santos is Executive Chef of Il Cortile Ristorante and Executive Chef of Parchetto.

The Work Today

At Il Cortile Ristorante in Paso Robles, California, Santos MacDonal cooks from the top down with freshness as the first constraint. The menu follows the season and the market, with locally sourced ingredients used whenever available, so the plate starts with what is on hand rather than with a fixed idea. Pasta is where that discipline becomes most explicit: the goal is not to set sauce beside the noodle, but to make the two work together so the pasta carries, gathers, and absorbs the sauce. His pastas and sauces are homemade, which gives the food its own scale and texture—direct, measured, and built in-house. Homemade pastas, fresh seafood, top quality meats, and antipasti define the kitchen’s range. Each signals the same priorities: sourcing, restraint, and technique applied without clutter. At Il Cortile, the work depends on letting good ingredients do their part while the kitchen stays precise about timing and balance. The result is food that reads clearly on the plate, with no excess between the product and the person cooking it.

Career - Executive Chef — Il Cortile Ristorante, Paso Robles, California - Executive Chef — Parchetto, Paso Robles, California - Chef — Giorgio, Malibu, California - Chef — Via Veneto, Los Angeles, California - Chef — Locanda del Lago, Los Angeles, California - Chef — Koi, Los Angeles, California - Chef — La Sosta, Los Angeles, California - Executive Chef — Bridge Restaurant, Los Angeles, California - Executive Chef — L’Angolo Cafe, Los Angeles, California

Signature

Santos MacDonal specializes in homemade pastas.

In Their Words “Coming here is the best way to decide what to cook. Everything’s so fresh.” “They know me, and I know them.”

Acclaim

What is notable in Santos MacDonal’s work is not ornament but proximity: to ingredients when they can be sourced locally, to returning guests, and to the point where freshness dictates the plate. That approach gives the cooking its shape. It favors recognition over theatrics, and it treats the meal as a direct exchange between place, product, and the hand that knows how to use both. In that register, the kitchen reads as a place of clear decisions and steady control.

FAQ What is Santos MacDonal's current role? As of 2026, Santos MacDonal is Executive Chef. Where did Santos MacDonal work before? Santos MacDonal's earlier career included Giorgio, Via Veneto, and Locanda del Lago. What is Santos MacDonal known for? Homemade pastas, fresh seafood, top quality meats, and antipasti.