“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”.James Allen
Obituary: “Happy Father’s Day Marshall Pellar of Su Casa”
We dedicate this full story in honor of your memory! Marshall Pellar, Ph.D., founder of Su Casa Restaurant in La Jolla passed May 6 at age 83. A brilliant mechanical engineer, he graduated from Purdue University with honors. Marshall was a chemical scientist, held a doctorate in economics and was a life-long inventor.
His first notable invention was BBQ seasoning for potato chips, done as a consultant for a potato chip company in Chicago in the 1950's. At lunch break, the factory workers would bring back BBQ from a neighborhood eatery and dip the company’s chips in the sauce. Marshall had the idea of making a dry BBQ seasoning to flavor the salted potato chips. Adding flavors to potato chips today is an international snack industry.
He went on to design grinding machines for spices and opened his own seasoning plant, Pellar Laboratories Inc., in Chicago. He came from a long line of food inventors, as his family had a pie making business, Pellar Pies. Marshall’s dad was an engineer who designed pie-making machinery in the 1920’s.
Marshall worked on many other products as an industrial engineer, which included the automatic milking machine for cows and roll-up home movie, screens with glass beads. His many other patents include meat tenderizers, food processing (oil extenders), food spices, health products and sports products (“Dri-Grip” for tennis rackets).
Moving his family to La Jolla in 1967 after selling his seasoning business to retire at age 42, Marshall was never one to sit still. In 1968, he opened Su Casa Restaurant on La Jolla Blvd. at a site where many previous restaurants had failed. His recipes for Su Casa won eight Gold Medals at the California State Fair in Sacramento. Called MP by his friends, he could taste any dish and tell you what spices were in it. Today, Marshall’s beloved restaurant is internationally known, and will remain what Marshall Pellar is best remembered for. He was a true visionary and creator of a restaurant that has just entered its fifth decade of exceptional California cuisine.
Su Casa was an incubator of new ideas where the first Strawberry Margaritawas blended and where “Nachos” were invented, both in 1968 (the cook's nickname was Nacho). Also, the first place to use no lard in the re-fried beans, as he was very health conscious. In the mid '70s the first American restaurant melding of seafood and Mexican food occurred at Su Casa. Crab enchiladas smothered in rich Verde sauce became the signature dish copied the world over. A shrimp burrito covered in ranchero sauce called La Jolla Suenos (dreams, after a visitor dreamed about it and had to fly back to enjoy it again!) was equally honored in food circles. Marshall’s spirit of invention was passed on to his employees.
Up the hill from Windansea Beach, Su Casa was often filled with local talent. Dr. Jonas Salk was a regular. Busboy Jim Newman told Marshall of his dreams of becoming an astronaut. Decades later, Astronaut Newman made international news with his daring repair of the ailing Hubbell Space telescope. Brother Hans Newman (along with his brother Eric & sister Annie) were integral for years and founded “Friends of Windansea” in 1997, holding meetings at Su Casa to protect the sea bluffs. Some employees hired by MP are still at Su Casa today: Head Cook Salvador Hernandez (1974), Waitress and Manager Ruth Hebert (nearly 40 years), and Sal Lopez (1975), La Jolla's favorite waiter. The Windansea Surf Club met in his back room. Many notable La Jolla surfers from the '70s through today such as the late Chris O'Rourke, Jim Neri, Bru Briggs, Peter King, and the Thompson Brothers worked at Su Casa.
Marshall started "PSI" Phenomenological Sciences Institute in La Jolla as a side interest, where he developed biofeedback machines in the 1970’s. He was an avid boater, horseman, tennis player, magician and comedian.
He was a protective father of three girls: Nina, Linda & Marsha who all went to The Bishop’s School. His wife and soul mate of 53 years, Harriet, was involved in all of his businesses. They were members of the San Diego Yacht Club and the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. MP is also survived by four grandchildren, Cyd, Zoe, Nicole and Mars (Marshall). A tribute to him has been made to Quail Gardens in Carlsbad. A private Memorial service is planned on his birthday June 24th.
MP had a sharp sense of humor, preferring to see the brighter side of life. He was mis-diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2002 and his family later realized he had Lewy Body Disease (
http://www.lbda.org/), which has different symptoms. Even a single dose of the wrong med., like valium, can cause permanent neurological and motor damage. We mention this to help other families, not have to go through what he did.
His favorite book was "As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen. Dream the impossible dream and always believe that “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”. Truly the measure of a man is the extent of his influence on those around him- he mentored many and touched countless others over the years in La Jolla.
The strength of MP’s character was demonstrated after he drew his last breath. With heart stopped and eyes closed, and with all his girls and his adoring wife surrounding him, he blew four kisses-one for each. No one thought that was possible, but it exemplifies his strength of character.
By Nina Pellar Le Baron, Linda Nero and Marsha Pellar- we love you DAD!
Website: http://marshallpellar-sucasa.last-memories.com
We seem to give him back to Thee,
Dear Lord, who gavest him to us.
Yet, as thee Didst not loose him in the giving,
So we have not lost him in the return.
For what Thee givest Thee not takes away,
For what is Thine is ours always.
Life is eternal.
Death is but a horizon,
and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.
Contributed by Amelia Gardner for Marshall Pellar (author unknown)
