Laguna Beach, CA – On Sunday July 8th at 1pm, Executive Chef Robert Opelle from Sundried Tomato will open the Festival of Arts Art of Cooking series. This year’s Art of Cooking Series features noteworthy chefs from some of Laguna’s top restaurants and hotels. Free with Festival of Arts admission ($10). Festival visitors become culinary students for one hour as chefs share tips, tricks and tools for making amazing dishes, live and in-person.
Executive Chef Robert Opelle grew up in American Samoa in the South Pacific. After High School, Robert was fortunate to be mentored by one of Wolfgang Puck’s primary sous-chefs (Cecilia DeCastro.) Later, he worked in some of the finest hotels on the California coast. His cuisine, influenced by his mother and grandmother, has an eclectic blend of Pacific Rim and European influences. A 25-year veteran of the culinary industry, Robert career path has seen him create delicacies from the Ritz-Carlton (Laguna Niguel) to the Surf and Sand Hotel to the Yardhouse Group and Westin Hotels Worldwide. He joined the Sundried Tomato restaurant group in 2009.
2012 Art of Cooking Schedule:
July 8 ……….. Sundried Tomato – Executive Chef Robert Opelle
July 15 ……… 230 Forest – Executive Chef and Owner Marc Cohen
July 22 ……… Watermarc – Chef de Cuisine Kiel Anderson
July 29 ……… Starfish – Executive Chef Jarvis Yuan
Aug 5 ……….. Nirvana Grille – Executive Chef and Owner Lindsay Smith-Rosales
Aug 12 ……… enoSTEAK, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel – Executive Chef Andres Jimenez
Aug 19 ……… Tabu Grill – Executive Chefs Rayne Frey and Moriah Robison
Aug 26 ……… Splashes, Surf and Sand Resort – Executive Chef Jeff Armstrong
Susan Davis, Director of Special Events, notes, “This is a diversified group of chefs with fresh perspectives on cooking and food. At the cooking demonstrations patrons can experience the flavors of Laguna and the wide variety of cuisine available. At the Festival, each chef will put a different spin on easy summertime cooking and entertaining.”
Dates and Admission
The Festival of Arts is open daily from July 1 – July 4 from 10am to 6pm and July 5 – August 31, 2012, from 10am to 11:30pm (August 25, 10am to 3:30pm). General Admission: Weekdays $7, Weekends $10; Students & Seniors: Weekdays $4, Weekends $6; Free Admission for Children 12 and under, Military, and Laguna Beach Residents.
A special promotion this year (funded in part by Bank of America) offers patrons the opportunity to purchase a Passport to the Arts for only $21.50. Receive unlimited admission all summer long to The Festival of Arts– California’s Premier Fine Art Show, the Sawdust Art Festival and Art-A-Fair. Go online for more information and details at www.LagunaBeachPassport.com or call 949-497-0521. Each passport includes one-time free parking in the ACT V parking lot on Laguna Canyon Road and FREE shuttle service. Offer excludes Pageant of the Masters.
