With the Hyatt management now in control at Andaz (formerly Ivy Hotel), there were bound to be changes in the kitchen.  Executive chef Nathan Coulon will move on May 6.  Next stop, Fashion Island in Newport Beach where he’ll oversee the new True Food Kitchen (a Phoenix import) due to open mid-July. Buzz has eaten at the Phoenix restaurant–its good-for-you menu is based on Dr. Andrew Weil’s principles of an anti-inflammatory pyramid of foods–and the food flavorful and interesting.  When Coulon leaves Quarter Kitchen he’ll be in Phoenix for six weeks working with executive chef, Michael Stebner. Yes, that Michael Stebner who owned the well-received-ahead-of-its-time-Region restaurant that focused on locally sourced ingredients with a menu based on Slow Food principles.  When Stebner left San Diego he went to Phoenix and ended up working for Fox Restaurant Concepts who created True Food Kitchen.  Now San Diego loses another talented chef

Don’t despair, however, San Diego does have chefs who can cook and many of them give their time to do special dinners to support student chefs.   Chef Celebration dinners are in full swing and they are worth checking out.  At $65  per person, $35 of which goes to the scholarship fund, these dinners are worth every cent to experience a dinner featuring four chefs.  Tuesday April 27,  Nine-Ten‘s Jason Knibb  hosts Brian Sinnott, Trey Foshee, Jack Fisher and Jeff Jackson and for the month of May the venues include Kitchen 1540, Cowboy Star, Urban Solace and Karl StraussCheck here to see who’s cooking where and to make reservations call the individual venue.

Eat, Drink, Read, takes place Wednesday, April 28 will benefit the San Diego Council on Literacy.  For just $60,  you’ll taste, mix and match wines and beers with food from noted restaurants including The Marine Room, Urban SolaceSuite & Tender and many more.  The venue is the hip Sushi Performance and Visual Art downtown at Eleventh and Island.

If you’ve never tried German wines (and no, they are not all sweet), do yourself a favor and go the dinner at Avenue 5 Restaurant & Bar on September 23.   Truly Fine Wine will host the wine side of the evening.  As a newbie to German wines myself, I have tasted, bought and love the dry wines that Truly Fine Wine imports.  The menu sounds great and the cost of the dinner and wine is $75.  For reservations and information:  619-542-0394.

Chef Celebration is in its 13th year as a collaborative effort of more than 50 award-winning chefs who give their time and expertise, in partnership with  Napa’s Culinary Institute of America, to raise scholarship money for young chefs.  Every Tuesday during October, you can join many of San Diego’s top chefs as they prepare a course for a five-course dinner at one of five restaurants:  Terra, Bernard’O, Pamplemousse Grille, Trattoria Acqua and Thee Bungalow. Check our each restaurant for the menu and chefs who will be participating.  This year the dinners hope to raise $18000.  Of the $65 donation for the dinner, $35 goes towards the nonprofit scholarship fund so make your reservations and support young chefs.  For information: www.chefcelebration.org.