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.
Destination dining
Marcerro, Nightsky, and Swing Time are located at the Dairy Creek Golf Course at 2990 Dairy Creek Road in San Luis Obispo. Stay tuned for the launch of Nightsky in late summer 2026. Marcerro is open Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with the bar open until 11 p.m.; and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Happy hour is offered weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m., and breakfast hours will be added once Nightsky opens. For more information, visit marcerro.com, nightskycamps.com, swingtimeslo.com, and dairycreekslo.com.
“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. Upcoming highlights include live music on Sunday afternoons, a Mats + Mimosas Pilates class on Saturday morning, July 18, and line dancing on Saturday evening, July 25.
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.” Δ
Flavor writer Cherish Whyte is dreaming of chef Tret’s tasty tuna tacos and stargazing under the Nightsky. Reach her at cwhyte@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in July 2-9, 2026.
