6-course dinner to feature culinary talents of French chef
Bernard Guillas, Maitre Cuisinier de France and executive chef of the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, the Shores Restaurant, and the AAA 4-diamond Marine Room restaurant in California, will be in the kitchen for a one-night only sixcourse collaboration dinner at the President Hotel on April 27.
“The event will feature decades of fine dining experience from all over the world,” says Jeremy Clayton, general manager and director of Turnkey Hospitality.
“With modernised interpretations of the wistful flavours they were raised on, these chefs (which include the hotel’s executive chef Craig Paterson) will fondly share their culture, heritage and food.”
Guillas, who started his career in Brittany, France, is no stranger to classic tradition and says: “A good cook is a sorcerer who dispenses happiness on a plate.”
For Guillas, it is the magic of adding unusual seasonings to titillate the palate.
His credits include apprenticing withGeorges Paineau, chef de cuisine at Le Dolmen in French Guyana, the Maison Blanche restaurant in Washington DC, chef tournant, chef saucier, and sous chef under Pierre Chambrin, former White House executive chef.
Since making San Diego his home, Guillas has spent five years as chef de cuisine at the Grant Grill, Executive Chef of La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, and the award-winning Marine Room.
The author of two cookbooks, and a guest on TV and radio shows, he has used his credits in the culinary world to give back to philanthropic purs uits including Slow Food and The Beard House Foundation.
With Chef Paterson, they are adding Chef Works. They will be partnering with the company to select a young culinary student to go to California and learn under Chef Bernard from the Eziko Cooking & Catering School.
“Developing people is a lot like pruning a tree – it often takes a long time but the end result is amazing. The greatest achievements are often when you are able to develop someone who, for example, starts as a kitchen porter and see them succeed as a chef,” adds Paterson.
This six-course dinner, priced at R1 195 per person with wine pairing, or R895 without, begins at 6pm.. There will also be live jazz and cooking demonstrations by both chefs.
Reserve your seat by e-mailing events@presidenthotel.co.za or call 021 434 8111.