Southbay Magazine December Culinary Casas

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1 Culinary Casas We visit the home kitchens of some of the South Bay s favorite restaurateurs and chefs and devour the pleasures of off-the-clock gastronomy. Chef Bernard Ibarra Terranea Resort The Las Vegas Strip is open for business 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with incredible opportunities for fine dining, exciting shows and a revolving door of celebrity appearances. Alternatively, Terranea Resort has built its identity around the magnificent landscape and rich environmental preservation efforts among the cliffs of exclusive Palos Verdes.

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3 executive chef Bernard Ibarra was the executive chef of The Mirage Hotel & Casino and opened Aria Resort & Casino, both in Las Vegas, over a period of 15 years. Now he brings those talents to Terranea as the resort expands its culinary offerings. I call it farm-to-terranea, says Basque-born Chef Ibarra as he describes the abundance of available fresh produce in the Palos Verdes area. The Basque Country provides a bountiful array of seafood cooked in complex ways for a culinary feast, so both seafood and fresh ingredients are part of Chef Ibarra s culinary background. California is the country s leading agricultural producer, and local farmers regularly provide Terranea with the best fresh ingredients. Working here allows me to go back to my roots because I am near the sea and surrounded by fresh ingredients, says the chef. He oversees all aspects of the resort s dining options including all restaurants, special events and catering options. Even with that overwhelming schedule and the significant amount of food considerations, Chef Ibarra still likes to cook when he is at home. He moved to Palos Verdes in late May and is living in one of the resort villas until his beach bungalow home is ready for occupancy. The villa kitchens are fully equipped, so I can prepare everything here that I would in the restaurants, he says. The ability to accommodate the highest level of fine dining was one of the most important considerations when the villas were developed. Guests of the resort villas and villa owners also have the option for Terranea chefs to provide in-home meal preparation.

4 Custom cabinetry, granite countertops, premier appliances and a full array of china, crystal and silver ensure that dining in the villas is as elegant as in any of the resort restaurants. Additionally, the resort can provide appropriate table and villa decorations for any occasion. However, Chef Ibarra is quick to note that it is not the level of appliances in the kitchen that guarantee a good meal; rather, it is the ability of the chef to improvise and create. With that philosophy, he brings together all of his culinary experiences to create sophisticated menus both in the restaurants and at home. Every day I wake up and face the ocean and golf course, and I feel like it s Christmas here. I am so blessed, he says. That enthusiasm has translated into his creation of more than 300 holiday events at Terranea, and he has designed a cooking class that will occur every two months. I witnessed the cultural revolution of Vegas during 15 years as the mega-hotels were constructed on The Strip, while internationally renowned chefs opened restaurants and exclusive shows premiered every night, says Chef Ibarra. Although it was an exciting time to be in Vegas, he now feels that he has come home. I am so happy to be near the sea with fresh ingredients and working with a tremendous staff at a luxury resort, he says. I have combined the best of my past and am looking forward to my future at Terranea.

5 Chef Ibarra continues with a laugh: As soon as my beach bungalow is ready, I still will not be cooking in my own kitchen because it is so small! Instead, I ll be outside on the grill. Given this chef s vast experience in kitchens around the globe and his culinary background using fresh ingredients from both the ocean and land, it s certain that all of his creations will be delicious, regardless of which kitchen he s in.