Several longtime culinary veterans are stepping down. But the new wave also brings experience.

There is an amiable chuckle as Chef Carl Ashurst ponders a changing of the guard in Monterey County kitchens. The person replacing him in the kitchen of Jacks Monterey and Peter B’s at the Portola Hotel & Spa, after all, is a relative rookie—just 27 years of experience.

“That’s OK,” Ashurst says after a moment. “When I started, I didn’t even know how to flip eggs.”

Six months ago, Ashurst informed management that he planned to retire after 48 years—that’s right, almost half a century, all spent in the hotel’s kitchen. The long notice was to allow them to find the right replacement.

Since Ashurst decided to step away from the kitchen, Chef Soerke Peters—a fixture in the county—sold Mezzaluna Pastaria & Mozzarella Bar to his general manager. Cal Stamenov, who was frequently voted Best Chef during his term at Bernardus Lodge, also departed. And restaurateur Bill Lee floated the idea of handing Kona Steak and Seafood to a new owner, perhaps ending a decades-long run of successful restaurants.

“I think I’m starting something here,” Ashurst says, again with a charming laugh.

Longevity is not unusual in the industry, particularly in Monterey County. Sabu Shake, for example, opened Old Fisherman’s Grotto in 1950, a restaurant now run by his son Chris. Ted Balestreri and Bert Cutino remain active in the Sardine Factory, a restaurant they opened in 1968.

But Ashurst is not part of a family operation. Nor is he a part owner. Instead, Ashurst moved up the kitchen ladder, eventually spending two decades as executive sous chef before taking the executive role, with little interest in looking elsewhere.

For those without a financial stake, this type of loyalty is rare. But, Ashurst says, “It’s not always greener on the other side.”

Stepping in as the new person under such circumstances can be daunting, even for someone with significant time elsewhere. Pacifico Mata, who is taking over Ashurst’s role, is an award-winning chef with a background at country clubs and resorts—including Roy’s at Pebble Beach’s Inn at Spanish Bay. And he was raised in the Salinas Valley, so he comes with some understanding of the area.

Ashurst explains that transitions can be jarring. The incoming chef has new ideas, but the kitchen staff has established a routine.

“You don’t want to shock the staff,” Mata agrees. “The key to it is being gradual. I’m still looking for where the salt is.”

While Mata plans eventual upgrades to the menus at Jacks and Peter B’s, Freddy Ortiz has a different goal for the newly branded Alfredo’s Pastaria & Mozzarella Bar. Before Peters left for Arkansas, where he owns a restaurant, Ortiz went over recipes with the chef in detail.

“I’m going to keep the legacy—keep everything the same,” he explains. “What do they say? If it’s not broken, don’t fix it?”

Ortiz says that his years in the industry has taught him the value of consistency, even when it comes to a change of chef and ownership. The menu of the former Mezzaluna is solid, and he reached out to Peters’ lineup of vendors, explaining that he can make little upgrades to orders such as olive oil, but that would tilt the flavor of a dish.

Once again, this changing of the guard is from one culinary veteran to another. Although he managed Mezzaluna for just two years, Ortiz can tick off local restaurants, such as the Sardine Factory, he knows from experience. He spent 28 years in the kitchen before moving to the front of the house for the past 14.

Ortiz has already taken over and held a ribbon cutting. With Stamenov heading to Europe for a culinary adventure, Tyler Eaves now runs Cella’s kitchen, bringing some high local praise—he worked alongside Chef Jonny Black at Sierra Mar in Big Sur, as well as Black’s Michelin-starred Chez Noir in Carmel.

Meanwhile—true to his six-month notice—Ashurst has spent the last two months walking his replacement through the hotel’s operations. He walks out the doors he first entered 48 years ago on June 15.

“I see things changing. I’m excited to be a part of it,” Mata says, adding with admiration for the torch being passed. “He set a culture, something to strive for,” Mata says.

Ashurst looks up, mimes a bit of math and laughs. Already 27 years in, “There’s no way you’ll get to 48.”