Oregon native Michael Morrisette grew up helping his schoolteacher father in their side business, a restaurant named The Potlach or ‘‘gathering place.’’ This work awakened something in Michael, which ultimately resulted in his career working with some of the greatest chefs of our time at some of the finest dining rooms in the world.

Morrisette’s first significant industry position was at the La Posada Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz., where the 21-year-old took a job as Maître d’ and Captain. A few years later he became the youngest Captain on the floor at the posh Le Bouchon at Loews Paradise Valley Resort, also in Scottsdale. There, under the mentorship of Manager Steven Sullins, Morrisette became a consummate professional, deftly preparing dishes tableside and learning the artful nuances of formal service.

Morrisette spent a year in Los Angeles as General Manager at Theodore’s Restaurant at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel before heading to Detroit, where he became General Manager at Les Auteurs, working with then Food & Wine Top 10 Chef, Keith Famie. In 1990, an already accomplished Morrisette went to work for L.A.’s most legendary host, Bernard Jacopy, at his restaurant, Lunaria. There, Morrisette, who comes from a family of musicians, enjoyed the combination of jazz and fine dining, a pairing that would play a role in several of his future managerial posts.

The young manager wanted to earn his stripes abroad, and he did so in 1993 at the acclaimed Le Gourmandin restaurant in France’s culinary capital of Lyon. When he returned to L.A., Morrisette began a string of impressive collaborations with some of the city’s most promising young chefs. First, he was General Manager at Jackson’s, where he teamed with Josiah Citrin and Raphael Lunetta, and then in 1996 went to work for Jean-François Meteigner at La Cachette. In 1999 he began a five-year stint with Citrin at his ambitious new restaurant, Mélisse, and helped the establishment achieve Mobil four-star status in years 2001 through 2004. Morrisette, who had previously earned a certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers, also created the wine program at Mélisse, which is now one of L.A.’s premier lists. His tenure at the restaurant solidified his expertise in the art of hospitality customer service, a quality innately present.

In 2004, Morrisette joined the team at Maple Drive, working with Food & Wine Top 10 chef, Eric Klein, and later Vincent Manna. In 2006 he accepted a position with Marina del Rey’s iconic Cafe del Rey, noting, “The restaurant has a great history, and its owner, Tavistock Restaurants, encourages creative freedom, which helps us keep the restaurant guests as our focus.” A Marina del Rey resident himself, Morrisette states, “It gives me great satisfaction to bring all that I’ve learned thus far in my career, to a job in the community I’ve lived in for over 15 years now.”

With his formal training and experience in high-end dining rooms, Morrisette maintains proper and efficient service standards, but also encourages his servers to let their personalities shine through. Like a major league coach, the veteran manager uses hand signals to silently guide his staff through the restaurant. Any guest who enjoys a meal in a dining room presided over by Morrisette will be able to tell that he constantly keeps his eye on the action. The 46-year-old lives near the restaurant with his wife, Prissi, and their 7-year-old daughter, Tillie.

michaelmorrisette@cafedelreymarina.com