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Tene Shake, Chef and Restaurateur

Tene Shake is THE seafood chef of the Central Coast. Born and raised in the “Sardine Capital of the World,” Tene grew up exploring commercial fishing boats, seafood processing plants and great restaurants on the Monterey Peninsula. Restaurateurs and fishermen from historic Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey, California taught him the secrets to creating unbelievable seafood dishes and the importance of supporting sustainable seafood practices. Success has followed Tene everywhere he ventures, first as a chef, then to his signature restaurants, business ventures, and now an exciting new cooking show, Coastal Cuisine with Tene Shake.

The Shake family has been in Monterey for generations and has played an integral role in the rich history and success of Fisherman’s Wharf. Their legacy lives on today, operating several restaurants, fish markets, and commercial fishing boats. Tene is the youngest of five brothers, thus earning him the nickname “Tene.” He was fascinated by seafood from a young age and learned as much as he could from the family businesses. Tene attended college at Bethany University in Santa Cruz, California, graduating with a Bachelors of Arts degree in 1988. Following college, he attended the California Culinary Academy.

A passion for cooking, hard work, and exquisite culinary imagination led to early success for Tene. In 1994, he was awarded one of “America’s Top Chefs” by the American Academy of Restaurants and Hospitality Sciences. Tene continued to perfect his seafood mastery for the next six years and was finally able to open his first signature restaurant in 2000, Isabella’s Italian Seafood & Steaks, located on Fisherman’s Wharf. The success of Isabella’s led to the creation of Cabo’s Wild Mexican Food, combining traditional Mexican dishes with Tene’s seafood specialties. In 2005, he opened the doors of his third signature restaurant, Lattitudes, overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the cove at Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove. Lattitudes provides the perfect atmosphere for enjoying modern seafood dishes with the coast as the backdrop.

In addition to his Signature Restaurants and his successful television show, Tene owns a commercial building on historic Cannery Row, housing the Culinary Center of Monterey, retail shops, and office space. He continues to build his businesses, but is also looking toward the future. Tene is currently working on a seafood cookbook and plans to add new additions to his portfolio of Signature Restaurants.

Tene lives in Monterey with his wife Tracy. 2007 marks the celebration of their 26th wedding anniversary.