FIVE SAN DIEGO FOOD EVENTS TO KNOW ABOUT RIGHT NOW

Tableside Omakase From a Veteran Sushi Chef

A new pop-up called Calypso has begun a residency at downtown’s Hive Sushi Lounge where chef Ambrely Ouimette is showcasing sushi-making skills earned over a 16-year career at restaurants like Saiko Sushi in Coronado, Matsuhisa in Denver, and Austin’s highly-regarded Sushi|Bar ATX. Offered every other weekend for a limited number of diners, Calypso is a 16-course omakase experience that includes nine courses of nigiri prepared tableside from a custom-built cart. Ouimette says her seasonal menu is playful but still reverential of sushi traditions, incorporating fermentation elements and local seafood where possible. The chef is no longer pursuing a previously-announced project in Barrio Logan, although Ouimette tells Eater that she’s still planning to open a sushi bar of her own.

Valle Welcomes Guest Chef Val Cantú of Californios

Acclaimed chef and owner Val Cantú of the two-Michelin-starred Californios in San Francisco will be in the kitchen with Valle chef Roberto Alcocer on Wednesday, April 10 for a special edition of the Chef’s Friends Dinner Series at the Michelin-starred restaurant in Oceanside. With Valle and Californios representing two or the six Michelin-starred Mexican restaurants in the U.S., the chefs will be collaborating on an eight-course tasting menu experience that reflects their perspective on Mexican cuisine. Limited reservations are available between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. and can be booked online.

Celebrate the Craft Returns to the Lodge at Torrey Pines

San Diego’s premier annual food event, which matches up some of the city’s best chefs with top area farmers and producers to create dishes to pair with wine or craft beer, is back on April 14. Hosted on the Lodge at Torrey Pines’ lush outdoor terrace from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a portion of ticket sales going to the Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano, Celebrate the Craft will feature an impressive lineup of chefs from restaurants like Callie, Kinme, the Fishery, George’s at the Cove, Lionfish, Trust, and the upcoming 31ThirtyOne in North Park.

A Secret Dinner Series Pop-Up at Surprise Locations

The Blank Table’s new season kicks off on Thursday, April 18 with a dinner whose menu and unique, off-the-beaten-path location won’t be disclosed to guests until the evening before the gathering. A partnership between Chrome City Creative Studio and Be Saha Hospitality Group (Tahona, Wormwood), the five-course dinner will feature Be Saha chefs Janina Garay (Addison, Canella) and Carlo Guadarado with wine pairings from sommelier Ricardo Zarate Jr. Joining the team for this edition will be Mario Guerra, owner of Leucadia Co., which operates popular North County spots like Valentina, Moto Deli, and Hamburger Hut.

Ambrogio by Acquerello Hosts Decorated Italian Chef

The tasting menu-formatted Ambrogio by Acquerello is hosting a one-night-only, four-hands dinner on Tuesday, April 30 that will see chef Silvio Salmoraghi of the Michelin-starred Acquerello in Italy, who is the culinary partner of the La Jolla restaurant, share the kitchen with chef Fabio Ugoletti of Mar’Sel at Terranea Resort in the Palos Verdes Peninsula to create a special eight-course menu. Originally from Parma, Italy, Ugoletti has cooked all over the world, from luxury hotels to the once Michelin-starred Al Gallopapa in Italy’s Chianti region and Eataly in Los Angeles.

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