YVES FOURNIER

Executive Chef

Paris-born Yves Fournier succumbed to the kitchen at a young age not by his palate, but by his nose. “I always loved the smell of food in preparation…the spices wafting from the kitchen were irresistible to me”. At the tender age of 15, he enrolled at Paris’s prestigious Ecole Gregoire-Ferrandi culinary school, beginning a rigorous three-year education during which he apprenticed at various restaurants, honing his craft at celebrated Parisian kitchens like Fauchon and Michel Pasquet.

After graduation, the young chef began his career at restaurants such as Le Rendez-Vous in a town outside of Paris, Levallois-Perret, at Chez Eugene in touristy Montmartre, and Le Petit Fer à Cheval in Paris’ historic Marais district. After a short stint in Great Britain, Fournier came to America in 1998 and landed jobs at Manhattan’s Côte Sud and Pitchoune, before being appointed Executive Sous Chef at the legendary Rainbow Room high atop Rockefeller Center. In California, Yves was appointed Chef de Cuisine for the successful opening of 6ix Park Grill at the Hyatt Regency Irvine in 2004 and was most recently the Executive Sous Chef at the Hyatt in Newport Beach.

Yves sums his philosophy up in the simple statement: “I want diners to be as delighted as I am.” The chef’s love of cooking has never waned since walking into culinary school as a boy. “I have memories as a young boy on vacation, going to the farm in Normandy and buying fresh milk and cream; growing up with the Parisian market being so accessible, fresh bread from Poilane in le Marais district and fresh fish from the market at Rungis, Paris.” Along the way, he has found inspiration in such luminaries as Lyon’s Paul Bocuse & Alain Passard; and New York’s Daniel Boulud & Jean-Georges Vongerichten. His cuisine at Andrei’s showcases the Golden State’s remarkable local produce as well as its rapidly increasing selection of artisan cheeses and other food products, many of which can be found at our local farmer’s markets. Yves looks forward to developing close relationships with local purveyors and farmers. His menu at Andrei’s is truly a celebration of their bountiful California ingredients which are not masked by elaborate sauces or complicated by fussy presentations. His training in formal cuisine gastronomique aside, the affable French chef has fallen in love with the simple cooking that our regional agriculture affords.

When he’s not in the kitchen, he can usually be found cooking at home. Fournier resides in Corona del Mar with his wife, Elyssa, a pastry chef professionally trained in New York and who also attended the French Culinary Institute in New York creates all of Andrei's fine pastries and desserts. They also have a future chef in their son, Maxime....

Natalia Olenicoff

Managing Partner

From a young age, Natalia can remember her and her brother Andrei wanting to open a restaurant. She recalls that they pictured him behind a barbeque and her behind a bar, welcoming all to enjoy their latest creations. After the loss of Andrei in 2005, Natalia and her parents, Igor and Jeanne, decided to pursue this life-long goal in memory of Andrei and his remarkable spirit.

Blending her commitment to sustainable practices with innovative cuisine, the opening of Andrei’s is the realization of a longstanding aspiration for owner Natalia Olenicoff. Born and raised in Laguna Beach, Natalia began her career in commercial and residential real estate, joining her father Igor's Orange County-based Olen Properties shortly after graduating college. With a lifelong passion for global cuisine and the creative arts, Natalia’s business experience in real estate proved to be an invaluable counterpart towards managing the dynamics of a restaurant. More a labor of love than a business endeavor, Natalia and Igor have been involved in every aspect of the restaurant from the ground up. The unique dining experience that you will find at Andrei's can be attributed to their passion for art and design, great food, traveling the world and supporting the natural environment.

Natalia drew much from her travels around the world when creating Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails. Carrying a deep fondness for the Mediterranean coast, including France, Spain, Italy, Greece and northern Africa, she wanted the restaurant to focus on the principle that healthy cuisine and decadent flavors can coexist. Natalia recalls the first time she tasted a locally grown, organic tomato on a trip to Greece. “I never liked tomatoes, but I agreed to try one. They were delicious! They tasted nothing like the bland, watery tomatoes we are accustomed to in the U.S. I knew within that first bite that I had to share this experience with people at home.” Locally grown, sustainably farmed and fair-traded ingredients are used at every opportunity with the goal to not only enhance the quality of the food, but also to support a more responsible attitude towards our community and the world around us. Natalia notes that “this attitude and commitment are the norm in many parts of the world and it is exciting to see this movement returning to the U.S. We have a multitude of wonderful locally grown fruits and vegetables right here in California.”

Above all else, it has been important to Natalia to create a restaurant that is about more than just fine cuisine. She realizes that a meal is one of the few places in today’s busy world where friends, family and colleagues can stop everything else and simply relish each other’s company. Natalia hopes to create an experience at Andrei’s that “offers you many new sparks of laughter and enjoyment along life’s journey.”

Alan Havstad

Director of Operations

Alan Havstad is a 25 year veteran of the restaurant service industry. Being educated through practical experience in every position of the restaurant, he complimented his education with a degree from California State University, Dominguez Hills. Alan has spent his last 17 years operating and opening restaurants and breweries as General Manager. From the first batch of beer at Whiskey Creek’s Mammoth Brewing Co. in Mammoth Lakes, numerous Yard House locations and both JT Schmid’s, he has been integral in establishing and maintaining the growth of these successful concepts.

Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails provides another challenge that Alan welcomes. “I look forward to introducing this great new concept to Irvine and the local restaurant community. The farm to table elements and use of organic ingredients has been important to me for a long time & I love how it’s translated into Natalia’s dream restaurant.” Havstad is an advocate for sustainability in our community and is working with the Orange County Restaurant Association as its Green Strategist to put our restaurant community at the forefront of this important movement. He has also recently joined the Program Advisory Committee for The International Culinary Schools at the Art Institutes of Orange County.

Alan’s passion for providing great service to the guest will prove to be a great compliment to the wonderful food Chef Fournier is providing. When you visit Andrei’s, ask him about the story behind the food, the farmers he works with, and which great sustainable wines are going to enhance your dining experience. “I want to establish Andrei’s as the premier dining destination in Orange County.”

Andrei’s in the Press

Orange County Register

OC Life Review

OC Weekly Magazine