La Playa Carmel Appoints Boris Ilabaca as Executive Chef

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. September 03, 2015

CARMEL, CA. September 3, 2015 - La Playa Carmel is pleased to announce the appointment of Boris Ilabaca as executive chef, overseeing all of the culinary operations at the historic, 110-year-old hotel in the heart of charming Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Executive Chef Boris Ilabaca joins La Playa Carmel with a prestigious culinary portfolio spanning 20 years. Ilabaca began his career as sous chef at Monterey's Montrio Bistro, which, during his time there, was awarded Esquire Magazine's “Best New Restaurant” in the first year of business. Interested in expanding his knowledge of food and cooking techniques, Ilabaca later moved to San Francisco, where he held sous chef positions at Moose's Restaurant and the renowned Hawthorne Lane Restaurant, working alongside acclaimed chef Anne Gingrass. After three years, he relocated back to beautiful Monterey Bay, where he soon became sous chef at The Lodge at Pebble Beach and executive chef at The Old Bath House Restaurant, taking his classic cuisine to new heights with an updated approach. Prior to joining the hotel, Ilabaca also worked as chef de cuisine at Seascape Beach Resort and Portola Hotel & Spa.

Ilabaca was born and raised in the Aconcagua Valley wine region in Chile, one of the most fertile valleys in South America. Some of his earliest memories are looking up at the overhead canopy of vines that grew around the homes throughout town. Families here made their own wine, with the tradition of putting extra grapes in front of their homes for neighbors to stroll by and taste in the afternoons.

Today, Ilabaca continues to compare Chile's fertile lands to those in California. He grew up using the local surroundings in his cooking, utilizing all the flavors of seasonal produce and local fish and game as inspiration. He is fortunate now to enjoy similar products he frequently cooked with in Chile, such as fresh seafood and local produce that he incorporates into his farm to table style of cooking. Boris firmly believes that there is no better place in the world to be a chef than the California Central Coast, an area with a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables, which he describes as second to none.

“We are excited to welcome Chef Ilabaca to the hotel family,” said La Playa Carmel General Manager Mary Crowe. “Ilabaca marries the Chilean traditional flavors of his homeland with many of our food and beverage offerings. His talents and experience are perfectly suited to our goal of delivering a high-quality and comprehensive culinary experience to our local and visiting guests.”

Chef Ilabaca is overseeing the hotel's food and beverage programs, which include:

• Winemaker farm-to-table dinners - La Playa Carmel supports the local community by partnering with Central Coast winemakers, Salinas Valley farmers and fisherman in Monterey County to host exclusive dinners, which are held quarterly and attended by the local suppliers who join guests at the table to share secrets of their trades while personally presenting each course of the specialty paired menus. • Ghirardelli chocolate - The hotel, which is celebrating its 110th anniversary this year, was once home to the Ghirardelli family. To celebrate this historic connection, La Playa Carmel incorporates the famous chocolate in its freshly baked cookies, signature cocktails, hot cocoa and more. • Celebrity bartender nights - Each month, a local Carmel personality serves up $7 signature cocktails alongside live music on the terrace. • Signature champagne breakfast - The hotel is known for its expansive breakfast buffet, which is included in the nightly rate and features a custom omelet station, assortment of seasonal fruit, and freshly baked pastries, yogurt parfait bar, variety of meat and cheese and more. A Bloody Mary bar is available on the weekends throughout tomato season, as well. • Beach picnics - Hotel guests can stroll to the nearby Carmel-by-the-Sea beachfront with gourmet picnics in tow, packed with fresh produce, mixed salads, breads, local artisan cheese, dried fruit and nuts, house-made potato chips and Ghirardelli chocolate chip cookies. • Celebrating local wineries - Guests at La Playa Carmel are greeted with sparking wine upon arrival and also invited to nightly wine hours hosted by managers daily.

To make reservations, or learn more, please call 800-582-8900 or visit www.laplayahotel.com.

About La Playa Carmel: Located in the heart of Carmel-by-the-Sea just two blocks from the village and beach, La Playa Carmel is a 75-room historic luxury boutique hotel, recently restored to reclaim its past glory and modernized to meet today's expectations. Perched above the Pacific Ocean with expansive views, the hotel features fully renovated guest rooms and interior spaces, colorful gardens, tranquil patios and courtyards perfect for catered events, and a terrace swimming pool. This special place that has lured guests with its charm, beauty and hospitality since the turn-of-the-century, today beckons you to experience the same and make a little history for yourself. www.laplayahotel.com

Media Contact:
Meredith Strodel / Sara Swiger
Castillo & Ruig Communications
[email protected] / [email protected]
310-446-8867