Balboa Bay Resort cooks up unique dining experiences with a new chef
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Beach bonfires are a summer tradition in Orange County, and the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach likes to keep the fun burning into fall and winter with fireside experiences.
Located on 15 acres overlooking Newport Harbor, the resort hosts tourists and locals for vacations and events such as the city’s Fourth of July Old Glory Boat Parade.
The recently revamped harborside patio features fire pits and heat lamps. It’s a space where guests can indulge in fireside fondue for up to six people. Pots of melted Parmesan and smoky Gouda are presented along with a selection of fresh bread, veggies and meats for dipping.
For a sweet night, guests can choose a “S’mores & More” experience with a board of marshmallows for roasting along with pieces of chocolate, graham crackers, strawberries and other confections for a twist on the classic campfire favorite.
The outdoor upgrade isn’t the only new addition to Balboa Bay Resort. The staff recently welcomed executive chef Diego Bernal to head up the property’s culinary program and the resort’s signature A+O Restaurant & Bar.
Bernal’s background includes tenure at the Resort at Pelican Hill and the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach. He also spent time training under celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey.
“I was with chef Gordon Ramsey for about four years, and now I am here at Balboa Bay and it is a privilege to be here,” Bernal said.
The Colombian-born chef is looking forward to showcasing local produce by bringing farm-to-table dining to Balboa Bay Resort.
“We’re in California and we have the best produce in the country. We have such great diversity in the area as well,” Bernal said. “I want to let the ingredients speak for themselves…I think simplicity is more elegant.”
Bernal is incorporating seasonal produce into the menu, introducing guests to dining that makes best use of Southern California’s natural bounty.
“In California, we grow olives, pistachios, we have peaches, we have tomatoes...all kinds of variety that is raised and farmed in our backyard,” the chef said.
Seafood is another culinary focus at Balboa Bay Club, and Bernal hopes to find fun, creative ways for guests to enjoy fresh fish, crab and more. For example, at A+O Restaurant & Bar the chef featured a seafood station offering for the month of October with oysters, jumbo shrimp and other fresh catches displayed on ice for an ocean-to-table adventure.
Throughout November the resort is hosting a raclette royal dining experience each Saturday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Raclette du Valais, a semi-hard cheese, will be melted tableside with artisanal accompaniments and paired with a cocktail. There are weekly activities too, like live music on the patio on Friday and Saturday evenings and a happy hour Mondays through Thursdays that starts at 3 p.m. and continues to 6 p.m.
Bernal said all the resort’s events are designed to make drinking and dining more unique and enjoyable for resort guests and locals alike.
“To me, everything is hospitality,” Bernal said.
