Introducing Culinary Director, Daniel Horn
From California to Cambodia, Chef Daniel Brings International Flavor to the Nomada Team
Nomada Hotel Group is proud to introduce Daniel Horn as Regional Culinary Director. In this role, Daniel will lead the development of menus at all Nomada restaurants, including The Bistro at Granada Hotel, Norman at Skyview in Los Alamos, and Ciao Papi at River Lodge in Paso Robles.
Daniel first joined Nomada as Executive Chef at Granada Hotel & Bistro in April 2024. Since coming on board, Chef Daniel has elevated the restaurant’s offerings with unique flavors and flair that he’s refined over his 10+ years in the industry.
Daniel’s impressive culinary career has taken him cross-country from his home state of California, to Turks & Caicos in the Caribbean, and even as far as Cambodia.
Most notably, Daniel spent 12 years cooking at acclaimed Aman Resorts – first as Sous Chef at Amangiri’s Southwest-style restaurant in Utah and then as Executive Chef at Amansara in Siem Reap, where he led a kitchen specializing in traditional Khmer cuisine.
At the Bistro, the influences from these experiences are showcased throughout Chef Daniel’s menus and especially in recent specials like a Black Forbidden Sticky Rice topped with mangos, tamarind, coconut, and sweet basil (his take on a traditional Southeast Asian dish). Others, like smoked pork ribs tossed in chimichurri, and barbecue pork chilaquiles with pineapple + avocado represent what the West does best – authentic Mexican and Santa Maria-style barbecue.
Pork Chilaquiles
Black Forbidden Sticky Rice
But the global food tour doesn’t end there. Throughout the menu, you’ll also notice Italian dishes like bruschetta and eggplant pappardelle — and we have his grandmother to thank for that.
Chef Daniel’s passion for cooking was ignited in childhood. When he wasn’t in school, he spent most of his free time assisting his grandmother in the kitchen making pasta for the family. You could say it was his first sous chef position.
Later at a high school career fair, the California Culinary Acadamey in San Francsico (an affiliate of Le Cordon Bleu) recruited Daniel to enroll in the program, where he went on to train in classic French techniques and graduate with an associates degree in culinary arts.
We could go on, but we’d like to invite you to taste and see what Chef Daniel brings to the table for yourself. Reserve a table at your favorite Nomada restaurant soon and mark your calendar to visit us again in October, when his new Fall menus make their seasonal debut.
Q & A WITH CHEF DANIEL
Q: What is your process like for creating new dishes and menus?
A: I try to seclude myself for a couple of days and gather some of my old notebooks and cookbooks that I really find inspirational. I love Ottolenghi. Sometimes I’ll even walk around the bookstore and see if there’s anything that stands out.
Q: Do you prefer to experiment with recipes at home or in the restaurant kitchen?
A: When it comes to actually figuring out a dish, I like to do [research and development] with the team in the kitchen. I always find it’s better to do it as a team – because someone might look at something differently than you or have a different experience. I even like to get the bartenders’ or dishwashers’ feedback. If I just did it all myself, it wouldn’t be a very fun experience for anyone.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to cook at home?
A: There’s a lot of pasta, a lot of Mexican — tacos, things like that. Easy to do, comforting food.
Q: When you’re not the one cooking, what’s your favorite type of food?
A: I do love Thai Food because I spent three years in Cambodia and really fell in love with Asian cuisine. But having all the ingredients can get rather expensive, so I like to eat out for that as opposed to having all the different pastes and curries in my pantry.
Q: Knowing that you have experience in so many different types of cuisine, what would you say is your specialty?
A: I don't really say I have a specialty. I'm more of a jack-of-all-trades. If you give me enough time to research and figure out how to do something, I can kind of do anything.
Q: What was your inspiration for some of the dishes you’ve introduced at the Bistro?
A: When you look at the menu, you see a lot of different influences throughout it. Because it’s summertime, [I’ve] definitely tried to keep it light. There are a lot of smoked flavors and barbecue style dishes – the tri-tip, especially, is our nod to the California coast traditions here in Santa Maria.
Q: As you work on developing the seasonal menu for the Fall, what dish are you most excited about?
A: We are going to do a Beef Bourguignon [at the Bistro]. It’s hearty, lovely, and comforting — which is what I’m going for with the Fall menu. I want it to have a homey feel to it.
