Cat Cora Joins epicure.sb Festivities

Upon moving to Santa Barbara nearly two years ago, Iron Chef Cat Cora (catcoracooks.com) told the Independent, “I definitely am looking to open a signature restaurant in Santa Barbara and am looking at properties and talking to people. When we really have the news and the location locked in, I’ll let you know. But that’s definitely a goal, bringing something unique and wonderful.” Alas, the opening of an area Cat Cora restaurant has not yet happened, but we will get to grill the chef in person, as it were, about her plans at the epicure.sb (epicuresb.com) event “Conversation with: Cat Cora” on Monday, October 12.

Cora, not just the sole female Iron Chef but also the author of cookbooks Cat Cora’s Kitchen (Chronicle Books, 2004) and Cooking from the Hip (Houghton Mifflin, 2007) will take part in a conversation moderated by Mitchell Sjerven, owner of bouchon and Seagrass, and soon to be co-owner of the resurrected Wine Cask. (Not to start rumors, but will that restaurant need a new, high-powered chef?) Advanced ticket purchasers will even be able to suggest questions, and out of those whose questions are chosen, one name will be drawn, and the winner gets a signed copy of Cora’s latest book.

While Cora herself won’t be cooking, some of the town’s top chefs and epicure.sb faves John Pettitt, who just joined Seagrass, Brenda Simon of the SB Art Museum Cafe, and Brian Parks of Canary at Coast will be preparing Cora’s recipes. What’s more, those dishes will be matched with vino from the Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail. After that reception, everyone will proceed to the McCune Founder’s Room for the entree of the evening the chat with Cat.

This event is just one of the over 100 eat, drink, and be Santa Barbara-y events for the month of October that the Downtown Organization and the Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission are putting on for epicure.sb.

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See if the Granada can mimic the heat of Kitchen Stadium for a “Conversation with: Cat Cora” on Monday, October 12, 6 pm. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door (if available). Ticket includes the reception, conversation, and book signing. Purchase tickets in advance at the Santa Barbara Downtown Organization office, 27B East de la Guerra Street, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.