Chefs A Go-Go

San Diego’s culinary masters are on the move; Mike Morton's newest restaurant plans; and three old favorites throw in the bar towel

Local chefs have been involved in a rather serious game of musical chairs this past month.     At the U.S. Grant, Celeste Dunn steps in as executive chef of the Grant Grill. Dunn, who you may remember as the opening chef at Dakota, has spent the past few years running her catering company, A Place at the Table. At the Grant, she is picking up where Deborah McDonald-Schneider left off. McDonald-Schneider had served as the Grill's executive chef for the past year and a half. I remember Deb well from her many years at Dobson's. She's now signed on as executive sous chef at the Sheraton Grande Torrey Pines.     Tom Adkins, who spent the last year as executive chef at John and Martha Culbertson's Bellefleur, has taken over the post of executive chef at L'Auberge Del Mar. Earlier, Adkins spent almost two years in the San Francisco Bay area working with famed chef Bradley Odgen at Lark Creek Inn. Adkins is taking over for Jamie West, who held the position for the past couple of years. West has moved to Redondo Beach and is the executive chef of the very hip and popular Portofino. Chef Adkins tells me he's looking forward to continuing the "Wine Country Cuisine" at Auberge, focusing on Mediterranean, California, and Southwest Cuisine. Tom Herz has been appointed executive chef at Bellefleur, replacing Adkins.     Brian Freerksen is the new executive chef at Dakota Grill & Spirits. He was most recently "Chef de Cuisine" at the Marine Room. He takes over for Victor Jimenez, who is now at Gulf Coast Grill. Also at Gulf Coast Grill, old pal David Sokil, formerly executive chef at Blue Point and most recently, Tupelo.     Neil Stuart has resigned as executive chef of Terra Restaurant in the Uptown District of Hillcrest. While he is still working in a consultant capacity, his primary focus is his thriving Neil Stuart Catering. His replacement as Terra's executive chef is Reid Sinderud. ***     Chefs aren’t the only folks in the restaurant industry making career moves.     The Cohn Restaurant Group has hired Shanon Scott-Brant as operations manager. His job description is to oversee all Cohn restaurants and keep them running smoothly. His last position was with Scott's Seafood Bar and Grill in Costa Mesa. Hmmm, I wonder if David and Lesley Cohn will take a little well-deserved time off one of these days.     Philippe Beltran has taken over ownership at La Provence, located Downtown at Fourth Avenue and G Street. Many of you know Beltran as the chef/proprietor of La Vache & Co., at Fourth and Robinson in Hillcrest. ***     Lila's is slated to open later this month in La Jolla. It’s the effort of husband and wife team Kim and John Graham. The 110-seat restaurant, formerly ACME Grill, will offer a seasonal menu under the culinary direction of Morgan Dancer, the new executive chef. Dancer, a rising star, is 24 years old and comes from Zefrio (a very hot spot) in Portland. She's given me a sneak preview of the menu. Look for items such as "Cured Duck and Sweet Potato Rolls" and "Pumpkin Seed Seared Ahi." ***     Donovan's Steak and Chop House opens late this month in UTC. It occupies the old Rusty Pelican space. The theme is an upscale steak house featuring only USDA Prime meat. It has an elegant atmosphere with mahogany dark tones and a clubby feel. Tom Fulkeson, former president of Carlos Murphy's and Famous Restaurants Inc., is the managing partner. ***     Alessandro Minutella and Vincenzio Loverso (Panevino Down-town) are teaming up with former San Diego Padre Kevin Ward and opening another restaurant in the Gaslamp. They signed a seven-year lease for 3,325 feet of retail space located in the former Bijou Theatre on Fifth Avenue. The yet-to-be-named restaurant will feature an upstairs mezzanine and a wine room downstairs for tastings and private parties. The cuisine will be upscale steak and seafood. Look for a spring opening. ***     Mike Morton, the man behind the seven Brigantine and two Miguels Restaurants, soon will bring us Azul La Jolla. Located in the space formerly known as Grille at La Jolla, Azul will offer California and Mediterranean seafood. Corporate chef Mark Adair and Azul executive chef John Malcom (formerly of Pacifica Del Mar and Lark Creek Inn) will head up the kitchen and write the menu for this "bit-more-upscale-than-the-Brig" restaurant. ***     Oscar's Restaurants will open its first Orange County restaurant at the Tustin Ranch Market Place in Irvine this December. Locally based, this family owned and operated company has six restaurants in the San Diego area and one in Phoenix. ***     Have you noticed the steel framing along Interstate 5, just south of the Carmel Valley exit? That's the new Ruth's Chris Steak House under construction on El Camino Real at Torrey Reserve. The freestanding restaurant is looking to open early next year. ***     Small bites... Check out The Wine Lover, a place to taste rare and upscale wines along with imported cheeses and patés. Or, as founding partner Reuel Olin says, "Wine is like life: exciting, daring, smooth, mellow and well worth the experience." The Wine Lover takes over the old Waterloo space at 3968 Fifth Ave in Hillcrest.... Three San Diego old-timers have thrown in the bar towel. Kiva Grill in UTC, McDougals Downtown and Marius in Coronado all have closed their doors. Neither Kiva Grill nor McDougals would tell me why. Marius' people, (Marriott people) told me there was a bigger demand for private parties in the Marius room than for nightly dining. I’ll miss Marius.... Rumor has it the corporate bigwigs at P.F. Changs were in town last month looking for a Downtown location. I hope they locked in something then. My guess is that the prices are different this month since the passage of Proposition C. Terryl Gavre spends her entire day thinking about what she is going to have for dinner. Her favorite food is mayonnaise. She is chef/owner of Café 222 Downtown. She can be reached at 233-4060, Ext. 313.

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