PALM SPRINGS, CALIF. – Under the management of San Francisco’s PlumpJack Group, Ingleside Inn & Melvyn’s Restaurant welcomes Jennifer Town as executive chef to lead property-wide culinary operations, menus and programming. The celebrated Palm Springs establishment is currently undergoing a historic restoration to be revealed later this year – a design transformation for the 30-room Inn and light treatment to the aesthetic and menu at Melvyn’s, continuing the classical dishes and tableside service for which the restaurant is known.
“Chef Town’s technique, love for cooking and high culinary standards are well-aligned with PlumpJack Group’s philosophy of approachability, passion and exceptional service,” said Hilary Newsom, president and partner, PlumpJack Group. “Combine that with her experience commanding the kitchen, she is the perfect candidate to help ensure Ingleside Inn & Melvyn’s Restaurant is as vital a part of the city’s future as its past.”
A graduate of the New England Culinary Institute, Town studied at Northern Italy’s Ristorante La Torre under Chef Patrizia Grossi, head chef for the Italian Olympic Team in Salt Lake City, Athens and Torino, Italy. She then went on to become junior sous chef at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas where she trained under a master French pastry chef and oversaw all aspects of food preparation within a four-star hotel. After three years of island life, Town relocated to Palm Springs to be part of the opening culinary management team for the Ace Hotel & Swim Club. In her role as executive sous chef, Town planned menus with an emphasis on fresh and seasonal ingredients for the hotel’s restaurant, bar, pool, in-room dining and banquets.
Most recently, Town served as executive chef of the Purple Room Supper Club, a former Rat Pack hangout and destination for Palm Springs residents and travelers alike. In balancing creativity with tradition and fresh ingredients, she elevated the restaurant’s midcentury supper club menus into modern day and maintained the top TripAdvisor ranking among restaurants in Palm Springs for more than two years.
“I’m humbled, honored and excited to write my chapter in the culinary story of Ingleside Inn & Melvyn’s Restaurant,” said Executive Chef Jennifer Town. “I can’t wait to share my fresh take on traditional dishes, with a dash of showmanship and elegance, for a memorable dining experience that tastes as good as it looks.”
No stranger to the public eye, Town has appeared on Food Network’s “Guilty Pleasures” where her spiced pumpkin cheesecake reigned supreme. She has also competed in numerous culinary competitions in the Coachella Valley.
INGLESIDE INN & MELVYN’S RESTAURANT Quiet and secluded, located far enough away from the everyday yet just steps away from the heart of Palm Springs, Calif., Ingleside Inn is an authentic desert retreat and Old Hollywood glamour across an acre of well-manicured grounds. One of Palm Springs’ first resort-style escapes built in the 1920s, Ingleside Inn is comprised of 30 rooms, suites and villas; outdoor swimming pool; meetings & event spaces; and fine dining at the well-loved Melvyn’s Restaurant. Visit inglesideinn.com for more information.
