Caroline Singer

Co-Owner, Sommelier

I was born and raised in Chicago, surrounded by the hard-working ethics and compassion of a fast paced community. I credit my parents for my career in the Food and Beverage industry. Since I was a baby, they always gave me a wide variety of foods. My mother even made all of my baby food from scratch by blending fruits and vegetables from the family dinners. My mother’s passion for teaching me about food from a young age led to my own passion for bringing people together through food and wine. While on track to become a lawyer at my dream school, the Great Recession struck. I pivoted career paths and chose to take a scholarship from Spain’s Ministry of Education to work in schools on the island of Ibiza. My experience in Ibiza, and more broadly Western Europe, reminded me that food and wine was my true passion.

My experience in hospitality began with learning the basics at a casual bistro in Chicago before quickly switching to fine dining. I have seen many sides of this industry from that small bistros in Chicago, to famous clubs in Ibiza, and even exporters in Tuscany. To be successful these businesses all share the same ethics: integrity, honesty, quality, and teamwork.

Despite vowing to never marry a chef, I found myself planning a life with a dear friend that is now my husband: Chef Michael. We met in Denver, but after visiting the Central Coast for many years, we realized Carmel-by-the-Sea is the perfect place to start a restaurant. We enjoy being closer to the best produce farmers in the country, the bounty of seafood from Monterey Bay and the incredible wines produced on the West Coast. Carmel-by-the-Sea is the perfect spot for us to build our dream restaurant from the ground up.

We are beyond lucky to have this opportunity and would not be here without the support of our family and friends.