Orange County Restaurant Week Comes to Bloomingdale’s Home Store at South Coast Plaza

As part of the OC Restaurant Association’s second Orange County Restaurant Week to be held September 13-19, 2009, twelve dynamic Chefs will have the opportunity to be a part of Cooking with the Experts as Orange County Restaurant Week Comes to Bloomingdale’s Home Store at South Coast Plaza. Each Chef will perform a live, in-store demo in the Home Store kitchen, which is equipped with a sound-system and three flatscreen televisions for public viewing. These Chefs from Orange County’s top restaurants will demonstrate their skills as they prepare dishes featured on their Restaurant Week menus. All information pertaining to Orange County Restaurant Week can be found online at www.OrangeCountyRestaurantWeek.com.

Following is a schedule for Cooking with the Experts:

Saturday, September 5 – Noon: Chef Vincent Muraco – Zimzala

Sunday, September 6 – 1 p.m.: Chef Hector Camarena – The Ritz Restaurant and Garden

Tuesday, September 8 – 6 p.m.: Executive Chef Arun K. Puri – Royal Khyber, Fine Indian Cuisine

Wednesday, September 9 – 6 p.m.: Executive Chef Ronnie Arnold – hush

Thursday, September 10 – 6 p.m.: Executive Chef/Owner Jenny Ross – 118 Degrees

Sunday, September 13 – 1 p.m.: Executive Chef/Owner Cathy Pavlos – Lucca Café

Tuesday, September 15 – 6 p.m.: Chef Miguel Garcia – Kimera Restaurant

Wednesday, September 16 – 6 p.m.: Executive Chef/Owner Marc Cohen – OPAH Restaurant & Bar, 230 Forest Avenue and Watermarc Restaurant (recipe from Watermarc)

Thursday, September 17 – 6 p.m.: Executive Chef/Owner Zov Karamardian – Zov’s Bistro in Tustin, and Zov’s Neighborhood Cafes in Irvine and Newport Coast

Friday, September 18 – 6 p.m.: Executive Chef/Owner Tony Corke – Chaparosa Grill

Saturday, September 19 – Noon: Executive Chef/Owner Lindsay Smith-Rosales – Nirvana Grille

Saturday, September 19 – 3 p.m.: Chef Arturo Briones – Wildfish Seafood Grille

More than 100 restaurants across Orange County’s vast dining landscape are confirmed to participate in Orange County’s most anticipated culinary event. The second event of its kind this year, Orange County Restaurant Week participants will offer special three-course menus that will showcase some of the region’s most talented chefs who will personalize each menu to reflect their culinary style and highlight locally grown, seasonal ingredients. The prix fixe menus will be priced at $10, $15 and $20 per person for lunch, and $20, $30 or $40 per person for dinner, exclusive of beverages, tax and gratuity. In addition, for the week-long event, the Orange County Performing Arts Center will be offering food aficionados a 15% discount on select performances of the hit musical “Legally Blonde.â€�

“The inaugural Orange County Restaurant Week “Cooking with the Expertsâ€� held earlier this year was so well attended that we decided to put together another series of demos,â€� commented Pamela Waitt, president of the Orange County Restaurant Association, which produces Orange County Restaurant Week, the county’s largest culinary event. “Our partnership with Bloomingdale’s is a natural fit and many of our Chefs are truly honored to showcase their skills in its beautiful kitchen, which is the second largest in the country for Bloomingdale’s.â€�

Modeled after similar events in Southern California, such as San Diego Restaurant Week and dineLA, Orange County Restaurant Week is a countywide event designed to promote the region’s diverse offerings. The official Orange County Restaurant Week website, www.OrangeCountyRestaurantWeek.com, lists participating restaurants offering prix fixe lunch menus for $10, $15 and $20, and dinners for $20, $30 or $40, exclusive of beverages, tax and gratuity. Reservations may be made online at www.OrangeCountyRestaurantWeek.com or by calling participating restaurants directly. For added convenience, the Orange County Restaurant Week restaurant website is searchable by cuisine, location and price point. For the most up-to-date list of participating restaurants be sure to check the Orange County Restaurant Week official website (www.OrangeCountyRestaurantWeek.com).

The Orange County Restaurant Association produces Orange County Restaurant Week biannually, with an annual Happy Hour Week and a Kid’s Restaurant Week (to launch in 2010). The September 2009 Orange County Restaurant Week is presented by Orange Coast Magazine, Cox Media and KJazz 88.1 FM. Other event sponsors include Moxxe PR, OC Life Magazine, 944 Magazine, OpenTable, Yelp, OCStandard, Greer’s OC, Chef Jamie Gwen, Orange County Performing Arts Center, Bacardi and Grey Goose.

For general information, or to learn about participation or sponsorship opportunities during Orange County Restaurant Week, please visit www.OrangeCountyRestaurantWeek.com. To learn about or join the Orange County Restaurant Association, visit www.OCRestaurantAssociation.org.