The most anticipated event of the year, Green Feast is an unforgettable evening – a community celebration of local food taking place on a September evening on the fields of South Coast Farm. Over the next month, The Ecology Center is pleased to highlight the local food and wine talent that makes this event possible.
Spotlight on Green Feast 2010 Participant: Chef Azmin Ghahreman
Over the last 20 years, Chef Azmin has immersed himself in the cooking styles and cuisines of: classic and nouvelle French; Mediterranean, Hawaiian Pacific Rim, Asian, Middle Eastern, Modern Australian, American Southwest and American Pacific Coast/California.
Born in Iran, educated in Switzerland, having lived and worked all over the world, he now calls Southern California his home and base for his various culinary projects which have been lauded by guests, customers and media from far and near. In fact, OCMETRO BUSINESS listed Ghahreman as one of the “2007 Hottest 25 People in Orange County” and dubbed him ‘rock star chef’.
In 2007, Ghahreman opened his first restaurant and lounge, Sapphire Laguna, with its adjunct gourmet specialty shop, Sapphire Pantry. From the very beginning, the restaurant and shop were embraced by the Laguna Beach community and beyond. His globally-oriented cooking style and avid interest in the best food products and wines from California, other parts of the U.S. and internationally have solidly placed him on the region’s culinary map. His motto has always been, “When you travel through the world’s markets with your palate, you don’t need a passport.”
A glowing two-star review in the Los Angeles Times describes Ghahreman’s cooking as “polished and precise without being too formal”, which is exactly what Ghahreman is striving for at Sapphire Laguna. Other kudos for Ghahreman’s food that “sends one on a trip around the culinary world without leaving home” have appeared in: Sunset, Coast, Orange Coast, Westways, The Laguna Beach Independent, The Orange County Register and other publications.
The Ecology Center would like to extend its deepest gratitude to Chef Azmin for his creativity and generous contribution to Green Feast 2010!