Pioneering fine dining in this town that is now renowned for it, Swiss-born Roger Dreier was the first chef to open a gourmet restaurant in Puerto Vallarta.

Arriving here in 1983 by way of Mexico City, Roger quickly developed a loyal following through a catering business he started, which led to the opening of Chef Roger – the place to go for a decade and a half.

Not only did it serve fabulous haute cuisine combining a traditional European approach with the imaginative use of fresh foods native to Mexico, it was absolutely charming, tucked into a downtown side street for 13 years and on Basilio Badillo for two.

Then, sadly, it closed. But after a transition period, during which he helped other Vallarta kitchens gain great reputations, Roger recently opened Mañana, a beautiful restaurant on the Punta de Mita beach, Anclote.

And predictably, it was immediately popular with the people buying the fabulous homes and condos in the area and the guests at the Four Seasons, Mañana already the “in” place for folks in the area to meet and a great destination for a drive out of town.

Not one to forget his old friends, if you had a favorite plate from Chef Roger tell him, and he just might whip it up for you, his new restaurant emphasizing lighter gourmet fare appropriate to its beach setting, like salads and pastas and, of course, his trademark pates.

Roger and his wife, Rosa, who comes from a distinguished Vallartense family, have an 18-year-old son, Roger, the couple a team in both life and the hospitality industry for 22 years.