Booking Our Reservation ASAP
Written By: Tiffany Carter & Amanda Brenner chef Alejandra Padilla
Five Crowns, the Corona Del Mar culinary jewel that has been serving the community for over 50 years, welcomes Alejandra Padilla as the newly appointed Executive Chef. She comes with an illustrious background at Hillstone and the Patina Group, sharing her masterful skills, crafting beautiful dishes for such restaurants as La Fonda del Sol in New York and Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse in Los Angeles. She was also the winner of the season six premiere episode of “Chopped.”
“It means a lot to me to be accepted by a group that is so deeply rooted in history here in Southern California,” says Chef Padilla. “It shows for me that I’m at a point in my career where not only have I developed the skills and techniques of cooking and creating but also have enough experience to manage day-to-day restaurant operations, develop aspiring chefs and continue to raise the bar on what people come to expect from their dining experience.”
Padilla was inspired early on to become a professional chef and has worked herself up the ranks, wearing many hats in the restaurant industry. Her creative approach to cooking matched with her impressive culinary techniques are the perfect formula for maintaining and moving forward the high standards that the Lawry’s Restaurant Group evokes.
“My vision is to introduce an approachable yet sophisticated menu to our guests,” says Chef Padilla. “I really appreciate the ‘classic’ recipes and techniques from all over the world. Culinary preservation is something that I really value, so I rely on these classic methods to create dishes that are approachable and familiar. Southern California offers a varied selection of foods which makes it easy to carry out this vision.”
Chef Padilla has invigorated the winter menu for both Five Crowns and SideDoor to reflect the fresh farm-to-table offerings currently in season.
“On our winter menu for example, I switched up our beet salad and incorporated some amazing citrus varieties that are in abundance right now—caracara orange, blood orange and grapefruit,” says Padilla. “I also have a grilled pork chop with roasted pears and cider-braised cabbage that reflects our current season nicely.”
Whether you’re a seasoned or new diner at Five Crowns, Chef Padilla’s menu will have you coming back for more!
Five Crowns
3801 East Coast Hwy
Corona Del Mar, CA 92625
949.760.0331 Chef Alejandra Padilla
