Renaissance Hollywood Hosts Celebrity Chef Tour

The James Beard House Foundation’s Celebrity Chef Tour is making its way through Los Angeles, stopping at Twist Restaurant at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel with one of Food and Wine’s Best New Chefs for 2007, Gavin Kaysen. Slated for October 24, 2007, the dinner will feature a tasting of the best of this chef’s playful yet traditionally masterful cuisine with beautifully paired wines and a festive setting.

In 2004, the Celebrity Chef Tour benefiting the James Beard Foundation was launched in Philadelphia. Since then, it has become a favorite for both the chefs and the guests. The Celebrity Chef Tour replicates the “Once-in-a-Lifetime” experience of dining at the historic James Beard House… bringing America’s premier chefs to major markets across the United States.

Kaysen, a graduate of the New England Culinary Academy in Montpelier, Vermont, is a talented young culinarian who has packed a lot of fine cooking into his 25 years. Following his graduation from culinary school, Kaysen headed for the Napa Valley, where he worked under chef Robert Curry at Domaine Chandon. With a bit of experience under his belt, he set forth for Lausanne, Switzerland to work under chef Jacky Vuillet at Auberge de Lavaux.In 2002, Kaysen returned to the United States and began working under chef de cuisine Patrick Ponsaty at El Bizcocho at the Rancho Bernardo Inn. In 2003, Kaysen won the National Trophy of Cuisine and Pastry. With this honor, Kaysen represented the United States at the International Trophy of Cuisine and Pastry in Paris. He finished first in the fish category and third overall in the world. Kaysen received the critics Best Chef Award from San Diego Magazine in 2004.

The evening with the Celebrity Chef Tour will begin at 7:00 pm with a reception of passed hor d'oeuvres and wine. These delicious items will give everyone a taste of things to come. After the guests are seated they will be served the first of what are usually five to seven incredible courses. Each course is paired with a wine from Fosters Estates, Beringer, Stags Leap, Greg Norman, and Wolf Blass Vineyards.

After three hours of fantastic food and wine, the night concludes with the chefs making their way to the dining room, usually to a standing ovation, to greet and answer the guest's questions. Some of the guests even ask the chefs to autograph a menu or empty bottle of wine.

The cost of a ticket to a Celebrity Chef Tour event is $150.00 per person with proceeds going to the James Beard Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and nurturing America’s culinary heritage and diversity. The foundation provides scholarships and volunteer opportunities for aspiring culinary professionals, educating today’s youth on the importance of good food and essential nutrition.

James Beard is widely recognized as the father of American culinary arts. Throughout his life, he pursued and advocated the highest standards, and served as a mentor to emerging talents. The James Beard House is where Beard lived, taught, and welcomed friends and colleagues who shared his love for food. Shortly after he passed away, a group of friends sparked a drive to save his home and create a living memorial and a center for the culinary community. It has become what Founding President Peter Kump envisioned it could be, “a culinary place to see and taste the work of this country’s most talented chef’s, wine makers, cookbook authors, and teachers.”

The Renaissance Hollywood Hotel, located at Hollywood & Highland, a shopping and entertainment mecca and home to the Academy Awards® ceremonies, offers 637 distinctive guest rooms, 33 suites, and the unforgettable 3,500 square foot Panorama Suite. A favorite of major production companies and business travelers alike, the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel embodies modern luxury accented by classic Hollywood charm, featuring the distinctive restaurant Twist, an outdoor pool overlooking the Hollywood Sign, world-class fitness center, and outstanding service savvy travelers have come to expect from the Renaissance brand name. Renaissance Hollywood Hotel, 1755 N. Highland Ave, Hollywood, CA 90028, (323) 856-1200, www.renaissancehollywood.com.