Bagel Shop Toasts Its First Year in Camarillo

Camarillo’s Old New York Bagel & Coffee Co., formerly Low Key Coffee & Bagel, will celebrate its one-year anniversary Friday. How? Free bagels.

“We want to thank people for supporting us. It’s been a successful year,” said Michael Raimondo, president of the bagel corporation. “The community is adapting to the store and the product.”

Business has been strong enough to warrant expansion of the location, Raimondo said. Plans are in the works to double the size of the 12,000-square-foot bagel shop within the next few months.

“We’ll have a lot more seating and a lot more kitchen space,” Raimondo said. “It’s exciting, but it’s obviously a risk and a gamble whenever you expand.”

Speaking of expansion, the owners of the company anticipate opening a second bagel and coffee shop in Woodland Hills this summer, and a third outlet in Westlake Village in 1997.

Old New York Bagel & Coffee Co. is located at 4972 Verdugo Way, Camarillo.

*

Bread baker Felicia Bentham of Ventura’s City Bakery will present a hands-on bread-making class Sunday at the restaurant.

Bentham will share techniques for making whole grain, sourdough and potato breads. The class will run from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Cost is $30 and space is limited. Call 643-0861. City Bakery is at 2358 E. Main St., Ventura.

*

Harry Brockwell, owner and chef of Oceanside Caterers of Ventura, has been named Western Regional Chef of the Year by the American Culinary Federation. He is now eligible for the National Chef of the Year award to be presented in July.

The 25,000-member federation, founded in 1929, certifies cooks and chefs based on their attainment of certain levels of knowledge and skill. Nutrition, sanitation and food handling are key criteria.

Brockwell of Westlake was awarded the regional honor in large part because of his involvement with chef-training programs and community activities, as well as his leadership roles within the culinary federation. Brockwell is president of the 35-member Channel Islands Chefs Assn., the local chapter of the ACF.

As for his educational work, Brockwell has evaluated and assisted with food preparation and handling practices at colleges with cooking programs, and he has helped train U.S. Navy cooks in proper food handling aboard ship.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to make a few bucks in this [profession] and I’m big on giving back to the community,” Brockwell said. “I’m big on giving to the kids in the business, opening up their visions of their future. Food service is a very demanding business.”

Brockwell ran Harry’s at the Beach concession at San Buenaventura State Beach for five years before it closed in October. He is now working with Southern California Edison helping to develop a cooking method that involves magnetic fields.

Brockwell said he is considering buying a restaurant in Woodland Hills, and another in Simi Valley, where he would be the head chef.

“My wife is trying to sell me on the idea,” he said. “I’m approaching 60 years old [he’s 58] and I’m not real keen on jumping into the kitchen 14 hours a day.”