Brendalee Reiplinger is the currently the Executive Chef at The Lodge at Bodega Bay. Originally from New Mexico, she has garnered nearly 16 years culinary experience, including time spent at some of the most celebrated Michelin-starred kitchens in the United States. After studying culinary arts at The Art Institute of California Los Angeles, she launched her career at two of Las Vegas’s most prestigious restaurants: Julian Serrano’s Spanish tapas restaurant at Aria Resort & Casino and L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon at MGM, a Michelin-starred French dining establishment. Eager to expand her repertoire, Brendalee moved to San Francisco, where she became sous chef at Ame, a Michelin-starred restaurant at the St. Regis Hotel, before taking the same role at TORC Restaurant in Napa.

In 2016, Brendalee joined Woodside Hospitality Group at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa as executive sous chef and was soon promoted to executive chef at The Lodge at Bodega Bay, where she managed the culinary team and program for two and a half years. Brendalee served as Executive Chef at Halcyon Hotel in Denver before returning to Woodside Hospitality Group in 2023. Brendalee is incredibly excited to join Santa Rosa Junior College as teaching the future culinary generation has been a long-time goal of hers.