David Gingrass ? previously of the now-shuttered Hawthorne Lane in San Francisco, Wolfgang Puck's Postrio, and Spago in Los Angeles ? is stepping away from the white tablecloths to join the more casual Pacific Catch team, with his first assignment as executive chef falling in the Peninsula.


Above: Chef David Gingrass. Courtesy Fortune Public Relations

Pacific Catch is a small Bay Area seafood chain whose largest location yet is slated to open March 31 in Mountain View. It signed on as a tenant at the new Village at San Antonio Center in early 2013, taking over a 5,770-square-foot space.

Gingrass will start off by focusing on getting the Mountain View location going.

"David's culinary wisdom combined with his rich history in the San Francisco high-end restaurant scene will be a valuable asset to Pacific Catch," Pacific Catch CEO Steve Stoddard said in a press release. "His food sensibilities and dedication to the guest experience are completely aligned with our philosophies at Pacific Catch, and we can't wait to see his influence on our restaurants going forward."

Pacific Catch was founded in 2003 by two entrepreneurs, Keith Cox and Aaron Noveshen, in a tiny space on Chestnut Street in San Francisco. They've steadily expanded their Northern California presence with another San Francisco location, plus others in Campbell, Corte Madera and most recently, San Mateo.

Pacific Catch does all things seafood, often with an Asian tilt, from staples like fish tacos and poke to Korean sticky ribs and pan-Asian rice bowls. The menus also feature a Hawaiian poke bar with eight different offerings.

Pacific Catches come equipped full bars that serve "handcrafted, seasonal cocktails, a curated beer selection, and Pacific region wine," the release states. View a sample menu here.

Pacific Catch
545 San Antonio Road, Mountain View
www.pacificcatch.com