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Famed Chefs & Tastemakers Gathered in Orange County

Orange County, California is known for its diversity with the third-largest Asian American population in the U.S. One in five residents is Asian. With this tremendous growth and presence, it is no surprise that Asian-owned businesses highly impact the county’s cultural fabric, particularly in the culinary arena.

The Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Inc. (OCAPICA) hosted a successful Tastemakers of Orange County event on Wednesday September 5, 2018 at the Segerstrom Center For The Arts in Costa Mesa, California.

Photos Courtesy of Lisa Hu Chen

The event featured twenty-four influential restaurants with the attendance of their founders and executive chefs. Many accomplished chefs and restaurateurs present have created cult-like establishments such as Leonard Chan of Shuck Oyster Bar, Amar Santana of Broadway and VACA, James Hamamori of Hamamori, and Allan Tea, whose family owns the Capital Seafood chain, of Hello Kitty Cafe.

FEATURED CHEFS & ORANGE COUNTY’S MOST POPULAR RESTAURANTS:

  1. Takashi Abe & Ted Lee | Blue Fin

  2. Bill Bracken | Bracken’s Kitchen

  3. Ivan Calderon | Taco Mesa + Taco Rosa

  4. Leonard Chan | Shuck Oyster Bar

  5. Greg Daniels | Chef Greg Daniels

  6. The Gaviña Family | Gaviña Coffee

  7. James Hamamori | Hamamori

  8. Brian Huskey | Tackle Box

  9. Dean Kim | OC Baking Company

  10. Ed Lee | Wahoo’s Fish Tacos

  11. Shachi Mehra | Adya

  12. Sandro Nardone | Bello

  13. Dee Nguyen | Break of Dawn

  14. Kristin Nguyen | Garlic and Chives

  15. Sonny Nguyen | 7 Leaves Cafe

  16. Henry Pineda | Modern Filipino Kitchen (MFK By Aysee)

  17. Shelly Register | A Market

  18. Amar Santana | Broadway by Amar Santana + Vaca

  19. Jason & Rebecca schiffer | 320 Main

  20. Max Shultz | Sessions West Coast Deli

  21. Rainer Schwarz | Driftwood Kitchen + Hendrix

  22. Greg Stillman | Leatherby’s Café Rouge + Segerstrom Center for the Arts

  23. Tarit Tanjasiri | Crema Cafe + Crema Artisan Bakers

  24. Allan Tea | Hello Kitty Cafe

Photos Courtesy of Lisa Hu Chen


Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance was established in 1997 with the mission to build a healthier and stronger community by enhancing the well-being of Asians and Pacific Islanders through inclusive partnerships in the areas of service, education, advocacy, organizing, and research.

Contributor:

@YvonLux is a serial entrepreneur and a published lifestyle and beauty blogger who owns and designs for her custom-clothing line, Yvon Lux. She also manages, writes, and acts as editor for her empowering Apple News channel with the same name. Connect with her on Instagram and don't forget to subscribe to her channel!