Celebrity Chef, Author to Judge at So-Cal Chef Open

Murrieta, CA (October 10, 2013) – Oak Grove Center for Education, Treatment & The Arts (Oak Grove Center) is pleased to announce the addition of Chef Daniel W. Thomas as one of three judges for the 6th Annual So-Cal Chef Open on Monday, October 14 at Pechanga Resort & Casino.

The So-Cal Chef Open is an annual fundraiser and culinary competition offering two top awards: The Judge’s Pinnacle Award and People’s Choice Award. Chef Daniel will join local judges Chef Leah DiBernardo from E.A.T. Marketplace and Chef Francesco Cusimano from Rustico’s Ristorante & Pizzeria to select The Judge’s Pinnacle Award winner. Judging criteria includes taste, presentation and utilization of locally foraged ingredients. The People’s Choice Award winner will be elected by the public voting on their favorite dish.

A peek at Chef Daniel’s website includes testimonials from some of the most powerful palates in Washington D.C. including Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid, Nancy Erickson and Norton A. Schwartz, among others. Currently, Chef Daniel is Private Chef to Washington D.C.’s power elite. His clients include numerous United States Senators and other elected officials, many of whom were introduced to his creative talents when he served as a Head Chef for the United States Senate Executive Dining Room and the Head Banquet & Catering Chef for the United States Capitol.

Chef Daniel focuses on healthy nutrition and serves as Regional Executive Chef for the American Diabetes Association. He has partnered with the Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Occupational Health, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and farmers’ markets on various issues related to health and diet. Chef Daniel is touring the nation to promote his book, “Healthy Eating: Recipes for a New You! Healthy Eating at its Best!”

Chefs vying for the top awards at the 6th Annual So-Cal Chef Open include Bracken Blucher (Baily’s Old Town Dining), Richard Bustos (Bel Vino Winery), Steven Bearse (Eagle Glen Golf Club), Mike Newhall (First Class Catering), Leone D’Arcangelo (Fresco), Ron Bryant (Shamrock Foods), Michael Cragg (Temecula Catering), Igor Krichmar (Temecula Creek Inn), Valerie DiBenedetto and Juan Esquada (Tesoro Italian Cuisine) and Steve Stawinski (Wilson Creek Winery).

Tickets to attend the Chef Open are $45 and can be purchased at www.OakGroveCenter.org. Tasting begins at 4:30 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at Pechanga Resort & Casino located at 45000 Pechanga Parkway in Temecula.

Additional information regarding the 6th Annual So-Cal Chef Open and Oak Grove Center is located at OakGroveCenter.org. 

—News release