Front of the House
George Hauer, Owner
George Hauer, Owner
“At George’s at the Cove, we share a burning pride in our profession…and it drives us to constantly learn, change and improve so our guests can always count on a deliciously memorable experience.”
In 1984, George Hauer opened what is today one of America’s top independent restaurants, George’s at the Cove. A quarter century later, his "tiered" concept – a first for the San Diego market – is celebrated by locals and visitors alike for its spectacular ocean views, service and seasonal approach to food.
George began his career as a waiter in 1968 with Continental Restaurant Systems, quickly rising to top management. At the helm of operations with more than 7,000 employees, he was an integral force in growing CRS from four to 90 restaurants nationally. A widely respected restaurateur, businessman, and industry spokesperson, George has been honored with the San Diego Restaurant Association’s highest recognition, the Gold Medallion Special Achievement Award.
If you ask George about his secret to success, he’ll tell you he’s driven by a creative restlessness that never subsides, which is why when he’s not in the restaurant he’s traversing the globe checking out new restaurants, bars and winemakers.
April Johnson, Partner & General Manager
April Johnson, Partner & General Manager
“Great service is quiet and unobtrusive…it involves the knowledge of good manners, with the importance being placed on the fact that manners are to put people at ease, not make folks feel bad for not knowing which fork to use or how to correctly pronounce ’viognier’.”
With 20 years of management experience in the restaurant business, April says she’s worked her whole life (including her paper route) to become the general manager of George’s at the Cove. A native of Orange County, with a Bachelor of Arts from California State University, Long Beach, April was destined to take care of people, from her own family to the 200 family members of the George’s staff to the 1,100 guests that dine with us each day.
Being passionate about people and food makes April really good at her job. She’s loves shopping at local farmers’ markets with her foodie-son, Jake, and trying out weird white wines. As a Level One Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, if she can inspire you to discover something new and fall in love with it – like an albarino instead of a sauvignon blanc – she’s happy.
Prior Experience
- Tantalum, Long Beach
- Viceroy Hotel Group – Viceroy, Avalon, Chamberlain, Maison 140, Los Angeles
- Chamberlain’s Restaurants, Dallas
- Domaine Restaurant Group – Aubergine, Troquet, Newport Beach
Nolan Cooper, Sommelier
Nolan Cooper, Sommelier
“My philosophy is to let the tail wag the dog when it comes to pairing wine and food. There's no reason a dessert wine can't be served in the middle of a meal, or a sparkling wine can't be the perfect end note.”
Truth be told, Nolan stumbled into his passion for food and wine working on the Las Vegas Strip, where award-winning chefs and Master Sommeliers are as plentiful as table games.
After working for C.C.A. private clubs, he took a job at Lutece where the importance of the tiniest details fueled his pairing curiosity. Nolan spent 11 years in Vegas, before moving to San Diego where he worked in management and with the wine program at Donovan's Steak and Chophouse, while continuing his wine education. Nolan chose to pursue his certification with the International Sommelier Guild under the instruction of D.J. Kearney because they are the only professional body that accredits Sommeliers by direct instruction.
A self-proclaimed "nerd," Nolan finds his inner dork is truly channeled through finding a perfect pairing for a new creation by Trey, whose menus are a great balance of esthetics and harmonious flavors created from local ingredients not found elsewhere. He enjoys finding ways to complement this cutting edge cuisine with wines that are exciting and not stereotypical in any way. Outside work, Nolan can be found reading (most often, several books at once) or spending time with his daughters, Ryan and Brayden, enjoying outdoor activities from the park to the beach to the World-Famous San Diego Zoo before coming home and piling into the kitchen to cook dinner.
Frankie Thaheld, Mixologist
Frankie Thaheld, Mixologist
“Cocktails are no longer just about spirit and mixer...they are an art form that conceptualizes what's going on in the kitchen and translates that into seasonally-driven drinks.”
Working in the restaurant business has been a lifelong love of Frankie's and he's held just about every front of the house position there is. But the bar has always been his sweet spot, and since joining George's in 2007 as chief mixologist of the Modern Bar, Frankie and Trey have set out to create a cocktail program as innovative and flavor-driven as the dishes that come out of the California Modern kitchen.
As a musician, Frankie correlates the guest experience to seeing a concert. He is the opening act, and he strives to amaze each guest with an attention to detail and creativity in his handmade drinks. From there, the headline act performed by the kitchen will be that much more enjoyable.
