Chef Tret Toussaint is ramping up culinary offerings at SLO’s Dairy Creek Golf Course
With a year at Marcerro under his belt, Executive Chef and Beverage Director Tret Toussaint is excited to embark on phase 2 of an ambitious hospitality project nearing completion at Dairy Creek Golf Course in San Luis Obispo.
The county-owned nine-hole golf course and Swing Time simulation facility, combined with the restaurant, which opened its doors in July 2025, will be joined by Nightsky Camps in late summer 2026.
Set within the larger 720-acre El Chorro Regional Park, the quartet of offerings will transform the golf course into a comprehensive, ecologically focused resort, with Toussaint leading the culinary component.
“One of the things we’ve been most excited about is creating something at Dairy Creek that feels genuinely connected to the local community, not just a destination for overnight guests,” said Nightsky and Marcerro co-founder David Smith, an Australian expatriate now residing in Los Angeles.
“Marcerro has become a big part of that vision already. We’re inspired by the opportunity to bring locals and visitors together through food, live events, music, and shared experiences.
“Chef Tret’s approach to the menu really reflects that spirit. It’s elevated but approachable, rooted in local ingredients and designed to evolve alongside the property and the seasons.
“As Nightsky Camps opens this summer, we will be working alongside Dairy Creek with a shared focus on serving both the local community and visitors from out of town, becoming an even more integrated outdoor destination on and for the Central Coast.”
Smith and Nightsky co-founder and fellow Australian Anatoly Mezhov, presently based in Carlsbad, nabbed Toussaint, of Paso Robles, as the first team member on the ground in June 2025 to open Marcerro.
Originally from Newport Beach, Toussaint took a circuitous path to his present profession.
“I went the route of psychology first,” he said. “But my family did ignite my passion for food as everyone in my family is well versed in cooking—[from] French to Jamaican.”
After majoring in psychology with an emphasis in cognitive neuroscience at UCLA, Toussaint obtained a culinary degree from Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Art, based in Boulder.
His foundation in classic French technique was complemented by stints as lead line cook at La Sandia in Santa Monica, executive chef at Ad Libitum in San Diego, and area executive chef for Marriott in Santa Barbara County, then fine-tuned by global experiences.
“I lived in South Korea and Japan,” he said. “I spent a lot of my time traveling, eating, and learning from local chefs. I found an expanded view on my style as a chef in those countries.”
As a result, Marcerro’s menu is bursting with French, California coastal, and Asian influences.
“Some personal favorites growing up were coq au vin (French chicken and wine stew) and roasted rack of lamb,” said Toussaint, while noting that Marcerro’s Duck Confit Pappardelle perfectly reflects both his heritage and training.
“I love to create and typically pick a fresh, locally sourced ingredient and build around it. Some ingredients I enjoy the most are duck, lamb, black garlic, and gochujang (Korean chili paste).
Toussaint collaborates with a variety of local vendors, including Cal Poly Meats in SLO, Stepladder Ranch & Creamery in Cambria, and Morro Bay Oyster Co.
The restaurant’s current menu features an eclectic mix of reasonably priced appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, salads, and bowls, with the most expensive entrée—Pan-Seared Scallops atop brown butter risotto, golden raisin pine nut gremolata, roasted golden beets, and microgreens—priced at $36.
Toussaint is also proud of the restaurant’s beverage program, which spotlights some of the area’s premier producers, including rotating tap beer from There Does Not Exist in SLO, craft cocktails featuring spirits from Tin City Distillery in Paso, and a compact but impressive selection of local red, white, and sparkling wine. For a $15 corkage fee, guests can bring in their own favorite bottles.
Marcerro—with its main indoor lounge and bar and expansive patios and grounds—hosts a slew of activities year-round.
The property’s several venues, including Dairy Creek’s adjacent Swing Time facility, can also be reserved for private events, with Marcerro handling the culinary details.
The restaurant’s final phase will include expanding hours and tailoring offerings for guests at Nightsky. The 45 canvas and timber-lined eco-tents, ranging in price from $175 to $450 on peak weekends, will cap the elegant, but minimalist vision for Dairy Creek.
Whether stopping by for golf, dinner, or a private party, or splurging on an overnight getaway, Toussaint aims to swing high with his evolving menu across distinct venues.
His goals are “to transform and elevate [offerings] for Dairy Creek and usher in a unique and coastal-driven dining experience for our Nightsky Camps,” he said, “while providing an escape and regular spot for locals to enjoy amazing food and drinks.”
Source: New Times Slo
Author: Cherish Whyte
July 2, 2026
New restaurant opens with luxury eco-resort at SLO County golf course.
A new restaurant is now open at a popular San Luis Obispo County golf course, offering stunning views and locally sourced plates for golfers and diners alike. Situated in between the rolling peaks of the San Luis Obispo foothills, Marcerro is the latest addition to the Dairy Creek Golf Course, revamping the clubhouse’s old restaurant space.
The name derives from the Spanish words for sea — “mar” — and hill — “cerro” — a reflection of the restaurant's location and culinary inspiration.
The elevated American eatery is a part of SLO County’s forthcoming eco-resort, Nightsky camps, that will add 45 luxury eco-tents to the Dairy Creek property this spring.
Founded by two Australian ex-patriots, Nightsky camps is a brand new hospitality experience that provides a new way to connect with nature and get guests outdoors, while still experiencing the comfort and amenities of a hotel room.
Marcerro will be the resort’s restaurant, offering service to guests, golfers and those just looking for a good meal out of the house.
So far, the renovated restaurant space consists of a lounge room and bar as well as an outdoor patio overlooking the rolling hills of the golf course, complete with benches and a fire pit — a great spot for relaxing at sunset — but another main dining room with a bar and an outdoor eating area on the other side of the restaurant will be added soon, Nightsky co-founder Anatoly Mezhov told The Tribune.
“Once the (Nightsky) camp comes online, it’ll be like an interaction between guests coming here and the local community,” Mezhov said.
What is on Marcerro’s menu?
Led by Chef Tret Toussaint and beverage director Matt Wright, Marcerro’s all-day menu champions ingredients from local farms and drinks from nearby wineries and craft breweries.
To its curators, Marcerro’s menu was about creating something approachable but unique and memorable — “your typical dishes, but with a spin,” Mezhov said.
Highlights include whipped feta, duck confit pappardelle, poke nachos, smoked bay scallop ceviche, miso pan-roasted napa cabbage, the marcerro burger, a stone fruit and burrata salad and more.
The shrimp rolls with nori seaweed are Mezhov’s favorite. “They’re kind of different and unique,” he said.
Marcerro also provides full food and drink service to Swingtime — a Top Golf-style driving range — allowing guests to enjoy craft cocktails, wine, and share plates from the comfort of their bay.
“It’s an amazing amenity,” and addition to the eco-resort, Mezhov said.
How can I visit Marcerro?
Marcerro is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and to 8 p.m. on all other days, with a happy hour on weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m. The bar will remain open until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, as well.
The restaurant will also host a special event on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. to launch the space to the public. This free, family gathering will offer a first look at the restaurant’s menu and feature live music, a raffle giveaway and lawn games.
Source: The Tribune