October 2005

CONNY ANDERSON, Executive Chef
The REGENT BEVERLY WILSHIRE HOTEL, Beverly Hills, California
by Bonnie Carroll

How lucky for the historic Regent Beverly Wilshire to have Conny Andersson, most recently Executive Chef of the Four Seasons Hotel, Los Angeles, take the lead of the modernly elegant The BLVD Restaurant and Bar, overlooking Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Andersson has also worked as Senior Executive Chef for Four Seasons Hotels Resort Development, focusing on Four Seasons hotels throughout the world. He held positions as Executive Chef at the hotels Bali and Nevis properties.

Andersson’s travels around the world have brought a global outlook to his cuisine, which pleases the most sophisticated palate. Traveling creates the opportunity to bring imaginative ideas to the table, and according to the chef “The opportunity to explore the rich and varied cultures around the world is invaluable. During my time in Bali, having an abundance of natural spices and fresh produce gave me a freedom I have rarely experienced anywhere else in the world.”

Originally from Sweden, Andersson has more that 27 years of extensive culinary experience and his career path has been high speed to say the least. The new look for the old lobby lounge is exciting and elegant all at once. An exquisitely designed bar of amber glass is the crown jewel of the beautifully appointed new restaurant. This room has been a favorite venue of mine for years, and I must say the new look and feel is long overdue. The menu is equally exciting, with some standard favorites, but many daring and delicious new flavors and stylish presentations. Salads, soups, pastas, risottos, pizza and a variety of fish, meat, and fowl entrees grace the menu pages, and the desserts are magical.

The Hudson Valley Foie Gras with peaches is a refreshing starter and simply outstanding, or how about a satisfying bowl of French onion and oxtail soup with gruyere cheese? The seared scallops with crispy sweetbreads, grilled asparagus and shimeji mushrooms is magic, and the desserts are all inspired and sinful. The lounge offers some colorful and imaginative cocktails, including the ‘I love New York’ martini. The wine list continues to be splendid, and Chef Andersson confided that it is being updated with new selections for 2006.

The hotel also offers outside dining on the BLVD., where guests enjoy watch shoppers on Rodeo or be watched by people strolling by, while enjoying a delicious salad or luncheon special. This boulevard setting is quite glamorous, and fits right in to the ‘street of dreams’ image that this historic crossing represents.

For over 75 years the Regent Beverly Wilshire has been serving and satisfying the Beverly Hills community and the world. Some remember Julia Roberts as the “Pretty Woman” who caught her man at this historic hotel, and locals remember it as a place to see Santa make an entrance to kick-off the holiday season. But, everyone agrees that this elegant landmark is a ‘tried and true’ hotel of excellence that is forging ahead with style into the 21 st century, providing the latest in everything their discriminating guests require. The word on the street is that Wolfgang Puck’s new restaurant in the hotel will open soon with culinary star James Boyce at the helm, and the hotel also has a magnificent new spa in development that is expected to open in 2006. For information see www.fourseasonshotels.com.

Chef News: BALI CHEFS

Bali Four Seasons Hotel Chefs presented a magnificient feast at their recent Food Show Extraordinaire.