Kitchen in the Canyon Gets New Ownership

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. - June 1, 2018 - PRLog -- With new ownership by The Laguna Beach Company, Kitchen in the Canyon on Laguna Canyon Road will maintain and expand its reputation for being a culinary destination and community staple in Laguna Beach. Kitchen in the Canyon is a central gathering point within the Arts District in Laguna Beach and has been a common hot spot for brunch and lunch. The Laguna Beach Company, LLC (TLBC) owns the property where Kitchen in the Canyon is located, and it is with great excitement and pride that TLBC now officially retains the business, Kitchen in the Canyon, as well, with Dora Wexell Orgill as the VP/General Manager and Jenny Messing as Executive Chef.

Although the center in which it lives—previously known as the Festival Center, but now known as The Hive—had struggled until recently, this neighborhood café has become a favorite dining spot for breakfast, brunch and lunch. Directly next-door to [seven-degrees], Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) student housing, and neighboring the Sawdust Festival grounds as well as the Art-A-Fair grounds, this prime location was under-utilized until very recently. The acquisition of this property by TLBC has reinforced some of the amazing and innovative improvements to the Arts District, while maintaining the legacy of the community favorites in this area.

Although most locals have come to recognize Kitchen in the Canyon as the main life of The Hive, at 845 Laguna Canyon Road, this location has held many different iterations of life, love and culinary art. Before Patrick DiGiacomo and his partners Craig Lyon and Debi Lyon began Kitchen in the Canyon in January of 2017, this spot had previously acted as a culinary school called Laguna Culinary Arts, offering cooking classes and programs for many different levels of chefs. Laguna Culinary Arts was located here from 2003 to 2014, operated by Nancy Milby, with expert insight and aid from French chef Laurent Brazier and master sommelier Peter Neptune.

Kitchen in the Canyon Manager Craig Lyon is looking forward to expanding upon the legacy already created at this restaurant with this new ownership. "We have created such a beloved, down-home, comfortable community café over the last year and a half at Kitchen in the Canyon thanks to this great community and our incredible staff, and are so excited to finally be able to have the support to see some of our original vision come to fruition, and keeping our staff intact in the process, with the investment in the community from The Honarkars and The Laguna Beach Company," he said.

DiGiacomo gladly sold the business to the Honarkars and The Laguna Beach Company and is ready for the next chapter in his own life. "After two years of building Kitchen in the Canyon into a successful community café, I am happy to pass the reins to Mo Honarkar, who has an amazing long-term vision—not just for Kitchen in the Canyon and The Hive, but for the future of Laguna Beach," DiGiacomo said.

With TLBC and the Honarkars' interest and investment in this community, the future of Kitchen in the Canyon looks bright. The management and staff are staying put, and with the addition of the new Executive Chef Jenny Messing, the menu is going to be expanded but legacy will remain intact. Along with the improvements to the menu, the operating hours are expanding, as well as the atmosphere. TLBC plans on adding more diverse and accommodating menu items, utilizing locally sourced produce, and continuing to serve fresh baked goods by Debi Lyon, helping to create a truly inclusive, delicious, and healthy dining destination for residents and visitors from all walks of life.

Chef Messing brings her passion for healthy comfort food and a love for aesthetically pleasing dishes that focus on awaking the taste buds, nourishing the body and exciting the eyes. Born and raised in Southern California, Messing feels inspired by the community of Laguna Beach and the full experience of dining. Under her culinary direction, many of the same dishes will remain, with the addition of a wider variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options for every appetite and thirst. "I'm really looking forward to taking this café to the next level, and giving everybody a chance to eat something that they will not only love to eat, but that they will feel good about eating."

Dora Wexell Orgill has been aiding the enhancement of the Laguna Arts District for more than twenty years now, and is excited to be able to help Kitchen in the Canyon reach new heights."The Hive is growing into a hub for the Arts District, and the Kitchen in the Canyon has been the casual culinary center of this area for over a year now and that's not going to change. TLBC and Laguna Creative Ventures will help ensure that this neighborhood café maintains its reputation and welcomes even more people to this hub."