Andrew Ryland Spurgin, Executive Director/Chef at Waters Fine Catering, has built a culinary career spanning three decades. He has designed and prepared menus and events honoring dignitaries from U.S. Presidents Clinton and Reagan, Soviet Union President Gorbachev, and Israeli Prime Minister Peres, to California Governors Wilson and Davis, and even Martha Stewart. Some of his regular clients include Cartier, Nissan Design, Tiffany & Co., Merrill Lynch and Aston Martin. Event Solutions Magazine honored him nationally in 2004 as Caterer of the Year.

A champion of sustainable, handcrafted, organic, and regional foods, Andrew grew up in London, working in his relative's restaurant and butcher shop. His aunts introduced him early to the bounty of local purveyors at London's historic Borough Market. His family moved to San Diego in 1974.

Promoted at age 19 to banquet manager for a major area resort, Andrew moved on to become chef and baker of one of California's first handcrafted, on-premise bakery/restaurants. He was director of catering at Southern California's celebrated Piret's, and at several other respected catering firms. Andrew has consulted and cooked with London's Mustard Catering Ltd. and has been tutored by the cheesemongers at Neal's Yard Dairy, also in London.

With regular lectures on sustainability of food and on entertaining, his events, interviews and photos have been featured in numerous local and national magazines and TV. In 2001, to address growing concern for the environment, he co-founded Passionfish, an innovative educational concern addressing seafood sustainability issues.

Waters Fine Catering was voted Best San Diego Caterer 2005 by The California Restaurant Association, San Diego Magazine's Reader's Poll Best Caterer 2004 and 2005, and garnered other recent honors and awards, including an invitation to cook at the James Beard House in New York City

Andrew sits on the Board of Directors of the International Catering Association. He is a past member of the Director's Cabinet for Scripps Institution of Oceanography and an E.W. Scripps Associate. Currently, he is working with other educators, marine biologists, fishermen and chefs on a national project for the Blue Ocean Institute, developing a national curriculum for culinary students and continuing education for chefs.

After driving Land Rovers for 25 years, Andrew suffers from acute petroleum remorse and can be found more often driving his much more fuel efficient Vespa Super Sport. His favorite place to be is in or near the ocean.