Bottega Napa Valley chef Espinoza shares path from busboy to kitchen leader

Alex Espinoza is only 40 but he's worked in the restaurant industry for 25 years - since he was 15 years old.

"I've worked in kitchens all across Napa Valley - Tra Vigne, Meadowood and as a winery executive chef," wrote Espinoza.

Since 2021, he's worked at Bottega Napa Valley where he is now executive chef.

Espinoza said that he loves that he gets to be creative "every day" in the Bottega kitchen.

"I love an adrenaline rush, and there is nothing busier than a Saturday night at Bottega in the summer, when all cylinders are firing," he wrote.

"I love the energy, and the satisfaction of happy guests. I also love being a part of culinary events. These take me to incredible places like Boca Raton and Pebble Beach and allow me to expand my network since I'm usually working with or alongside chefs I'd never meet otherwise. It keeps me inspired."

1. What was your childhood ambition?

I dreamed of being a sheriff or cop, something that would keep me at the heart of my community where I could help people. It's funny because while my career is very different than what I would have imagined, cooking delicious food and nourishing people is just a different way of serving my community.

2. What was your first job?

When I first moved to California from Guatemala, I was 15 years old and worked in a restaurant in Santa Barbara as a busboy. A year later, we moved to Napa and I got a job at Tra Vigne working in a similar capacity. One day Chef Reardon needed a hand in the kitchen, and he saw in me some natural cooking skills. I worked my way up at Tra Vigne over a 10-year period and I've been in kitchens ever since.

3. What's the worst job you ever had?

I worked as a dishwasher at a restaurant in Calistoga for a brief period. It was a second job, just to make some extra cash. Anyone who's ever worked the dish pit knows, it's brutal. My hands were wrecked from it, but it's a necessary job that really taught me the importance of every single position in the kitchen.

4. How did you get into the restaurant industry?

I started working in the kitchen at Tra Vigne at 16 and had no idea what I was doing. But what kept me there was the daily creativity, team collaboration, and mentorship. And I love food! I am ambitious and the Tra Vigne team supported my advancement by giving me time to take classes at the Culinary Institute of America, Italian language classes, and management training through Real Restaurant Group. By my early twenties, I was running day-to-day operations there and helping preserve the restaurant's stellar reputation.

5. What is the biggest challenge the restaurant industry has faced?

Honestly, it is hard to find people who are truly passionate about cooking and the hard work it takes daily. You can't rest on your laurels in the restaurant world. We are always looking for cooks who want to learn the craft and master the details that make a dish special. That dedication is what separates a good kitchen from a great one.

6. Who do you most admire in the business world?

Jacques Pépin is a chef I've admired for years. He's such an icon who has made a huge mark on the cooking community, yet he's so kind and humble, something you don't see often with famous and successful chefs. I've been able to cook with him and for him, and I'm always pleasantly surprised by his humility and zest for life. One of the top moments in my career was when I cooked a meal for Jacques that featured a dish his mother used to make for him as a child. He told me, "Chef, you brought me back to my roots when my mother used to cook for me." That was truly a surreal moment for me.

7. If you could change one thing about the restaurant industry, what would it be?

Treating employees better. It's no surprise to anyone that chefs can be major hotheads, but there's no need to be rude to your employees. Everyone works better in a calm, respectful environment. Period.

8. What's your favorite charity or nonprofit?

I like to collaborate with charities and nonprofit events that are close to me, like with St. Apollinaris, where my kids go to school. I do fundraising dinners there to raise money for the school and church. It's a great way to give back to the community that my family is a part of.

9. What's something people might be surprised to know about you?

Last year, I saved a man's life who was about to drown in the Napa River. It was dark, cold and raining and I heard someone struggling - I did not think twice and jumped in and brought him to the shore.

10. What is one thing you hope to accomplish in your lifetime that you haven't yet?

I'd love to open more restaurants, each focused on a different cuisine. Italian cuisine is my foundation, but the world has so many flavors! I want to keep challenging myself by exploring new flavors, techniques and ingredients.

Bottega Napa Valley is located at 6525 Washington St. in Yountville, botteganapavalley.com

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This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 6:19 PM.