Antonio Friscia has been named executive chef for Stingagree, a new 22,000-square-foot restaurant, bar and nightclub located at the corner of Sixth and Island avenues in the Gaslamp Quarter. The soon-to-open event center will be a three-story venue including a 7,500-square-foot rooftop bar. The developer and owner is James Brennan, who also owns Side Bar.

Friscia most recently served as director of operations and executive chef at Alfiere Mediterranean Bistro at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina. The cuisine is enigmatically described only as a “hybrid” of cuisines.

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In another chef’s appointment last month at the Four Season’s Resort Aviara, Bruce Logue signed on as executive chef of the property’s signature restaurant, Vivace. Logue, a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vt., joins the resort after spending the last three years at the acclaimed Mario Batali restaurant, Babbo, in Manhattan. He replaces Maurizio Ferrarese who left Vivace for a position at Four Seasons Chicago.

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Make your reservation now for the 10th annual Chefs of San Diego Celebration series of dinners. The event raises money for the Chefs of San Diego Foundation, the members of which donate their talents, time and energy to raise money for the culinary scholarship program. Each year a series of dinners take place throughout October at various locations around town. Teams of chefs prepare five-course dinners priced from $60 to $100 depending on location and menu with $30 of each dinner donated for scholarships.

Participating chefs include Jim Phillips of Pamplemousse; Hanis Cavin, Pacific Coast Grill; Andrew Bard, National University; Jeff Thurston, The Prado; Ryan Harris, Pamplemousse; Carlton Greenwalt, 150 Grand; Riko Bartolome, Asia Vous; Vincent Grumel, Vincent’s; Dean Rucker, The Golden Door; Susan Sbicca, Meritage/Sbicca; Jeff Jackson, A.R. Valentien; Carl Schroeder, Arterra; Paul McCabe, J.Taylor’s; Victor Jimenez, JRDN; Matt Zappoli, Fresh; Stephen Window, Roppongi; Fabrice Poigin, Urban Kitchen; Stephen Voitzwinkler, Bertrand’s at Mr. A’s; Deb Schneider, Jsix; Katie Grebow, Café Chloe; Chris Walsh, Confidential; Josh McGinnis, Island Prime; Denise Roa and Lilliana Navarette, Trattoria de IV; Jason Siebert, Café Cerise; Juan Flores, Thee Bungalow; Bernard Guillas, The Marine Room; Terryl Gavre, Café 222; Michele and Don Coulon, Michele Coulon Dessertier; Jesse Paul, Star of the Sea; Gavin Kaysen, El Bizcocho; Tony Di Salvo, Jack’s; Jack Fisher, Nine-Ten; Jeff Rossman, Terra; Michael Stebner, Region; Amiko Gubbins, Parallel 33; Amy Dibiasi, Laurel; Beryl Ann Byrd, Just Fabulous Kensington; and Mark Blaauboer, Joe Cochran, Eyan Joseph, Josh Korn and Tina Luu from The Art Institute of California.

For specific menus and additional information please visit chefcelebration.com.

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Fans of the UTC-area Chopan Restaurant that closed nearly four years ago will be happy to know that proprietor Haider Huissainy has reopened his restaurant Downtown on Sixth Avenue. Interior design-wise, it is a more upscale version of the original — after all it’s in the glitzy Gaslamp. Don’t worry, the menu still features the same traditional Afghan cuisine you all loved. Chopan, located at 750 Sixth Ave. — across from LG’s Steakhouse — is open for lunch and dinner.

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For some up close and personal dining, check out the newly installed chef’s table at 150 Grand Café in Escondido. The chef and owner, Carlton Greenawalt, is inviting diners to sit “on the line and dine” while sampling fare from his Chef’s Tasting Menu. The menu is $65 per person and includes interaction with the chefs in the kitchen. For reservations and more information, call (760) 739-6868.

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David and Lesley Cohn and Deborah Scott’s newest restaurant, Island Prime, opened last month, and from what I hear, to quite a bang. Industry buzz is they did nearly 900 dinners on one of their first nights open. Yikes! Island Prime is located on Harbor Island Drive and serves lunch and dinner daily.

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The much-anticipated JRDN Restaurant at Tower 23 Hotel in Pacific Beach opened last month. Apparently the locals are lovin’ the cool ambience; the place is perpetually packed.

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Jack’s in La Jolla is opening in phases, with the ground floor level offering casual cuisine, a big wine list, cocktails and live music, open for dinner nightly at 5 p.m. The Dining Room at Jack’s (more upscale) and Jack’s Oyster Bar and Lounge and Jack’s Sidewalk Café are slated to open mid-month.

Terryl Gavre believes the world would be a better place if everyone worked once as a foodserver. She is owner of Café 222, Downtown, and can be reached at (619) 233-4060, Ext. 316, or terryl@sandiegometro.com.