Yamashiro Executive Chef Vallerie Garcia Archer

Reading about how Executive Chef Vallerie Castillo Archer, the first female Executive Chef at Yamashiro, transformed a dowdy, historic site into a vibrant spot for tourists, local residents and celebrities makes you want to know more about the chef.

At 51 years old, Vallerie only started her career two years ago after being a stay-at-home mom for many years.

Vallerie’s story at Yamashiro is a one in which fact is almost stranger than fiction  — or a fantasy.  When Vallerie was on the first date with her husband, he took here there for dessert after dinner.

“I was so apprehensive because I had never been here before, she laughed. “you know how the restaurant is in the middle of a woodsy residential area and the road is dark and winding at night to get up here.

I was so relieved when we arrived.  I was very formal and had on a long dress.  We sat overlooking the city.  When my then date asked what I wanted for dessert, he didn’t hesitate and put in the order himself.  It turned out that he ordered every single dessert on the menu!  That was the first date, and that is how he has treated me ever since.

We have always loved Yamashiro but I just love to create food. My husband is Middle-Eastern and I’m Filipino. I grew up with a lot of Hispanic food. I love to create any kind of fusion dish.  like to create a mixture of mine and my husband’s culture as well as the American culture.

pineapple fried rice from Yamashiro?!,” – that’s what I like. I’m not so into trends because I just love to cook. I do change the menu every quarter/season. Every season is different if that is considered a trend, but I just always wanted to do something new.

I was actually born in my grandfather’s bakery in the Philippines. I was around a family that always cooked. I was raised in the kitchen and when my family would play outside, I would be in the kitchen with my grandparents cooking.

I became a chef because I love the feeling of making food and seeing people’s happiness when they taste it. My kids would look up at me and say, “Mom, you didn’t go to school,” and I responded with “I know, but I’m living my career now and doing what I love to do.”

I did a lot of private catering, baking for non-profit organizations for free, and cooked for my kid’s school. I donated all my services and fought with every single male chef to show them I have what it takes to be a successful chef. Yamashiro gave me the opportunity to show what I got.

I’ve been lucky enough for them to support everything that I do and give me the tools to get to where I am. The 5 chefs before me were all male. I was the last chef to be hired before COVID . I ran the kitchen while we were closed. It’s not about the title for me, it’s the fact that I get to wake up every day and have the excitement of going into the kitchen to cook.

I did go to culinary school, but before that, I actually learned from YouTube and watching Food Network as well as my grandparents. I went to culinary school in my mid-40’s and I got both my Culinary and Pastry Degree.

For me, it’s about working together as a team. I hired the first two Asian sushi chefs The fact that I’ve become an executive chef in less than a year at my first restaurant is the experience of a lifetime. I want to dedicate the rest of my career here to Yamashiro.