This story originally appeared in the 2026 Locals’ Guidebook featuring the Best of Jackson Hole, on newsstands now. Pick up a copy today!
JACKSON, Wyo. — Chef Malyna Si’s perfect day in Jackson revolves around delicious food and dog-spotting. The Michelin-recognized private chef loves to combine her expertise in Spanish cuisine with her love for Southeast Asian flavors. Si’s star continues to rise; following her stint as the first woman in Florida leading a Michelin-starred restaurant, she gained further attention competing on television show America’s Culinary Cup. After living in cities for her whole life, Si is enjoying adjusting to the pace of life in Jackson.
Chef Si will start the day with a coffee from Cafe Jackson Hole, owned by her friend Kim Degman, who also owns Bapp Korean Restaurant. Si appreciates the baristas’ sense of humor alongside the delicious, simple coffee options. “That’s exactly what you want in the morning,” she said. “You don’t want it to be overcomplicated.” She’ll take her coffee to go and stroll around the Farmer’s Market on Town square, “because it’s like a really fancy dog show,” she said. She recommends keeping an eye out for the Bernese mountain dogs, Samoyeds and great Danes. She has befriended local dogs with such names as Angelica Pickles and George Lopez.
Next, she’ll swing by Browse ‘N Buy to see if she can find anything to share with other service industry professionals she knows, many of whom live in employee housing. After saying hello to the Labradoodle who lives in the gallery across the street, she’ll head over to Snake River Roasting Co. for a double shot of White Spider espresso.
For lunch, Si says she tends to rotate among three local favs: Creekside Market for its tuna sandwich and Citrus Cooler Gatorade, Bapp for a bento box, or China Fun for the lunch special. After the meal, she might stop into Dairy Queen, which she calls one of the most beautiful places in town. “Sitting at the corner table and having the perfect view of the Elk Refuge, … it’s a really good spot to be like, ‘I can’t believe I live here.’”
No perfect summer day is complete without some time spent in or near the water. Si will spend the afternoon tubing, kayaking or paddleboarding; or she might bike down to Hoback Market for sloshies and then head up the pathway all the way to Jenny Lake. “The whole time it looks like your background is CGI,” Si said.
After a long afternoon outdoors, Si will usually opt to cook dinner at home, and she isn’t afraid to devote hours to a single dish.
“I will spend a lot of time on something I really want,” she said. “I’ve come home from work at midnight and cooked beef bourguignon until 5 a.m.”
Si is also fond of throwing dinner parties. One winter, she threw an oysters, champagne and caviar party in her backyard, gathering all of the snow in her yard and shaping it into a snow bar. She was excited to serve caviar to some friends who had never tried it before.
“Cuisine is about exposure,” Si said. “It’s nice to share that experience with people.”
