Peasants FEAST new Chef de Cuisine, Brendan Collins, is a native of California who studied cuisine in Los Angeles.
Peasants FEAST's new chef de cuisine, Brendan Collins, is a native of California who studied cuisine in Los Angeles. Credit: Bri Burkett photo

Chef Michael Cherney and his wife, Sarah Cherney, owners of Solvang’s Peasants FEAST, have launched their restaurant’s first dinner service since their doors opened in April 2020.

As of March 9, the eatery, which recently received a “Bib Gourmand” recognition in the 2022 Michelin Guide California, now offers dinner from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Helping to make expanded hours possible is the Cherneys’ new chef de cuisine, Brendan Collins.

Born in the Bay Area but raised in Los Angeles, Collins left his undergrad studies at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo to attend culinary school in Los Angeles. During and after his culinary studies, Collins’ passion for the industry secured jobs with prominent restaurants.

His first position was as a line cook in one of Los Angeles’ finer establishments, thanks to Michael Cimarusti, co-owner and chef of now-two-Michelin-starred Providence. Post-Providence, Collins moved on to kitchen work at other award-winning Los Angeles restaurants, such as Hinoki & the Bird, Chef Josiah Citrin’s Michelin two-star institution, Mélisse, and Chef Timothy Hollingsworth’s Otium.

After eight years in Los Angeles, Collins moved to the Central Coast and a position of sous chef and the now-shuttered Somerset Restaurant in Santa Barbara, which was followed by sous chef jobs with the city’s Loquita and Southeast Asian eatery Tyger Tyger.

Moving up the coast, Collins returned to San Luis Obispo, where he helped to open what became the locally-loved Park 1039, before relocating to the Santa Ynez Valley and joining Peasants FEAST earlier this year.

“We opened Peasants FEAST two weeks after the initial pandemic shutdowns, on April 1, 2020. Our whole vision for the restaurant immediately needed to shift, diverting to take-out only, eventually offering outdoor dining and, finally, indoor seating in this dining room we felt might never welcome guests,” Michael Cherney said.

In just three months, Sarah and Michael Cherney have added dinner service three evenings, increased hours at their deli and opened an arcade.
In just three months, Sarah and Michael Cherney have added dinner service three evenings, increased hours at their deli and opened an arcade. Credit: Bri Burkett photo

The hours at the deli and arcade have expanded to 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Sandwiches are made to order for take-out and available via https://peasantsdeli.com/shop or by order in person at the counter.

The arcade includes 15-plus carefully-curated, vintage video and pinball games, as well as an air hockey “arena.”

“We’ve been riding this restaurant world roller-coaster for the past three years, and now we’re finally able to launch our dinner menus and evening service, which were part of the original plan for the peasants FEAST concept,” Sarah Cherney said.

Peasants FEAST’s new dinner menu elevates the eatery’s fan-favorite, comfort food staples, offering dynamic dishes with ingredients sourced directly from several of the region’s farms, ranches and fishermen.

Hanger steak with celery root puree, roasted broccolini and marinated sweet onion.
Hanger steak with celery root puree, roasted broccolini and marinated sweet onion at Peasants FEAST. Credit: Bri Burkett photo

Refined plates, spanning vegetarian to meatier options, include deliberate components in seasonal menu items such as a radish starter with pastrami tallow; roasted chanterelles, cipollini onions, and crispy potatoes blanketed in Hollandaise; Hope Ranch mussel toast (mussels in escabeche, pimenton aioli, fresh herbs); an amberjack crudo with strawberries, cucumber, seaweed, and ponzu; a Jamón Ibérico de Bellota platter paired with Stepladder Ranch & Creamery’s “Cabrillo” cheese; and, “Chips, Dip & Caviar,” featuring Peasants DELI’s private-label Regiis Ova Caviar.

One of the currently featured mains is a sunflower seed risotto, topped with spring snap peas, asparagus, mushrooms, sunflower sprouts and Grana Padano.

Proteins highlighted on the new dinner menu include braised pork cheeks with the requisite stew vegetables and starches; varying cuts of prime steak; a fish option sourced, and available, as the day’s coastal catch permits; and a brined, buttermilk fried chicken plate with garlicky greens, polenta, and herb honey, serving as a dinnertime nod to one of the most popular Peasants FEAST lunch items, its signature Solvang Hot Chicken sandwich.

Warm spinach salad with spigarello, cornbread crumble, crème fraîche, pickled mustard seed, red onion, Jamón Ibérico and warm bacon vinaigrette.
Warm spinach salad with spigarello, cornbread crumble, crème fraîche, pickled mustard seed, red onion, Jamón Ibérico and warm bacon vinaigrette. Credit: Bri Burkett photo

Peasants FEAST’s dinner menu desserts include sweets (each with a loyal following): “Nannie’s Frozen Lime Pie” and Reina’s Ice Cream selections in fun flavors like popcorn, so-named for the Cherneys’ teen daughter, Reina, who handcrafts the icy treats.

In line with its lunch offerings, the new Peasants FEAST dinner menu also lists locally-sourced wine and craft beer selections, with an emphasis on sustainability and women winemakers.

Current Peasants FEAST hours are:

Wednesday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (lunch)
Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (lunch) and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (dinner)
Sunday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (lunch)
Closed Monday and Tuesday

Information: Peasants FEAST is located at 487 Atterdag Road, Solvang. Peasants DELI & Market is across Copenhagen Drive from the restaurant, and the arcade is next door to the deli. Restaurant: 805.686.4555; deli: 805.691.9649.

Laurie Jervis can be reached at winecountrywriter@gmail.com. The opinions expressed are her own.