Monique Moufarrej’s family began their journey to Westside Danville when she was just 7 years old. Her mother fell in love with hearing the church bells from St. Isidore while they were touring their property, “and the rest was history.” They had found the perfect home to raise Monique and her two brothers, all of whom graduated from San Ramon Valley High School. Coming from a Lebanese household, Monique was consistently reminded of the importance of family and food, placing an emphasis on “a sense of hospitality and the importance of nourishment though cooking.” Upon graduating high school in 2010, it was only fitting that Monique decided to attend the Culinary School at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, California. After graduation, she found herself moving across the county to New York City where she joined the team at Del Posto (Michelin starred), under the acclaimed chef, Mark Ladner. Eventually working her way up the ranks and becoming one of the youngest Sous Chefs at the New York Times four-star restaurant, Monique felt the calling to move back home to California to be closer to family and immerse herself in the rich and vibrant culinary landscape in San Francisco.
Joining the team at Rich Table in San Francisco, Monique was instrumental in helping the restaurant earn its first Michelin
Star. Then in 2018, she played a pivotal role in the opening team of Angler SF, the second restaurant of Chef Skenes and
Saison Hospitality. Quite quickly, Angler SF won the prestigious award of Esquire’s Best New Restaurant in America, and a
Michelin star within its first year. Monique would eventually be known as “Chef Mo” and due to her leadership, positivity, and exceptional skill set, she was promoted to Executive Sous Chef. Armed with real world experience and the skills to pursue a lifelong goal, Monique began to focus on opening her own restaurant. She began expanding her knowledge of business operations and beverages while planning her return home to Danville.
Many locals may recognize Monique’s parents as the longtime owners of Incontro Ristorante in Downtown Danville. One might say that their passion for food and community paved the way for “Chef Mo” to open Albi’s as their sister restaurant. Albi’s Danville has been a dream in the making since Monique left home on her culinary adventure at the age of 18. Honoring her Lebanese roots, “The Middle Eastern Beer Garden (with lots of wine too!) is inspired by the vibrant spirit of the Levant and rooted in California’s seasonal bounty. Named after the Arabic word for “my heart”, Albi’s is a love letter to gathering – a place for connection.” Not only will Albi’s be a place for amazing food, drinks and gathering, but will be an opportunity for Monique to become even more involved in the community that raised her. She is an active member of the Downtown Danville Business Owners and Managers (an informal group that collaborates on ideas for how to support and strengthen our downtown), but also looks forward to giving back and donating to local community schools and events. She is extremely excited to be back in Danville and continuing the tradition of blending high quality experiences and meaningful community involvement.
While Monique remains quite busy preparing for the imminent opening and busy summer months at Albi’s, she of course takes some time to recharge. Traveling is also a passion for Monique… some of her favorite destinations have been to San Sebastian, Copenhagen, Beirut and Tokyo. Closer to home, she frequently heads south to Los Angeles to visit her brother and “dive into the incredible restaurant scene” in Southern California. When she is back home in the Bay Area, Monique loves spending her free time exploring new local restaurants with her partner (who is also a chef), perusing farmers markets, spending time with her family, playing Backgammon, Uno, Dominos and, of course, cooking! Monique’s message to her Danville neighbors and friends is simple; “I’m so grateful to all of my neighbors that have welcomed me back and continue to support my ambitions since I was young. I can’t wait to share my new business with all of them.”
By Anne Angstenberger, Resident since 2006
Photos provided by Monique Moufarrej