Asparagus with Pea and Mint Ricotta at Pico
Spring’s Don’t-Miss-Dish
Signs of spring show up early in Santa Barbara County, with hillsides glowing green and more produce appearing at markets. At Pico Restaurant in Los Alamos, spring arrives loudly and joyfully with tender peas, fresh asparagus and a long list of names attached. Farmer names. Winemaker names. Names of friends.
That’s how Kali Kopely likes it. Chef and co-owner of Pico with her husband, Will Henry, Kali is celebrating two milestones this year: 10 years of Pico and another March honoring International Women’s Day, an apt pairing for a woman whose career has been defined by independence, community and feeding people well. Before Los Alamos, Kali owned five restaurants in Tahoe. Before that, her very first business was a wine bar in Boston, complete with tapas. Food and hospitality have always been her language.
It’s a language she learned early. Kali’s grandfather was a Navy chef, happiest in the kitchen, while her Greek side of the family believed deeply that food was the center of everything. As the oldest of five siblings, Kali became the family cook by necessity. It’s a role she took seriously—and loved.
When Kali and Will decided to settle in Santa Barbara County, opening a restaurant was always part of the plan. In 2015, they opened in the Pico building with a vision of a local gathering place, and a chef to help make that happen (we covered this chef and his consommé in 2017). Over the years, they worked with various chefs while always refining the spirit of Pico to keep improving. For the past year, Kali has taken on the chef role herself.
For Kali and Will, local sourcing is non-negotiable. “If we can’t source locally, it won’t work,” Kali says plainly.
That ethos is literally built into the kitchen. Pico’s Farmer Hall of Fame wall features photos of smiling faces, muddy boots, animals and fields, a visual reminder that the most important people in the restaurant don’t wear aprons. Farmers like Johanna Finley, Carla Malloy of Elder Flat, Britt Zotovich and many more aren’t just suppliers; they’re friends Kali has known for nearly a decade. Farm folks are also featured in Pico’s Know Thy Farmer lunches, set in Pico’s garden. Each of these multicourse, wine-paired meals highlight one of the farmers, seasonal cooking and pairings with their own Lumen Wines.
Santa Barbara County makes this kind of cooking possible.
“We have the ocean, the land, organic farmers, year-round,” Kali says. “It’s like the Mediterranean.” Pico’s goal this year is nothing short of 100% local sourcing—from beef raised at Kiani Preserve to spiny lobster pulled from local waters, grains from Kandarian, beans from Lompoc Bean Company, cheeses from Stepladder Creamery and olive oil from nearby producers like Luretík and Fig Mountain. Local olive oil, she notes proudly, goes into every single dish.
At their home garden and vineyard, Kali and Will grow avocados, apples, citrus, herbs, mulberries and edible flowers. Lumen Vineyards—their organically certified, regeneratively farmed project—mirrors Pico’s philosophy: Care for the land, and the land feeds you back. Kali also makes Greek yogurt and feta with Marko Alexandrous of Motley Crew Ranch.
Spring cooking at Pico is a celebration of it all, simple and seasonal. A perfect example is this Asparagus with Pea and Mint Ricotta dish that feels like the season on a plate.
To make it at home, blanch two cups of fresh local peas just until bright green, then cool quickly. In a food processor, blend the peas with one cup of fresh ricotta, four tablespoons local olive oil, three tablespoons lemon juice, a handful of fresh mint and salt and pepper to taste.
Blanch asparagus until just tender. Spoon the pea ricotta onto a platter, arrange the asparagus over the top, and finish with toasted local pine nuts, freshly grated Parmesan, Aleppo pepper flakes and another generous drizzle of olive oil.
