Chef Robert Sevaly

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In 1991, Chef Robert Sevaly began working as a deck hand on long-range sport fishing boat out of Fisherman’s Landing in San Diego.  It was there that he learned to use a knife by filleting fish several hours a day.

He then returned home to Riverside in 1994 and obtained a position as a butcher at Uli’s Grocery, an up-scale, gourmet, grocery store.  There, he learned to breakdown all types of beef, pork, and poultry.  With a heightened interest in culinary arts, Chef Sevaly enrolled in an extensive program at the Los Angeles Culinary Institute (1994), under the direction of Raimund Hofmeister CMC, AAC, Master Chef.  He excelled in all aspects of the classical European program and received several honors including the Dean’s List, the first awarded scholarship by the California Restaurant Writers Association, and a silver medal as the school’s team leader for a Blind Box/Hot Food Competition.

After graduating in 1996, Chef Sevaly obtained the position of Head PM Line Cook of the Crown Room (and later Head Butcher) at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego.  While at the Hotel del, he was selected on two different occasions to be a member of the culinary team that cooked for President Bill Clinton.  He has also worked at the prestigious Café Japango’s at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, La Jolla and as Executive Sous Chef of the Atoll Restaurant at the Catamaran Resort Hotel, San Diego.

During much of this time, he also instructed cooking classes for several gourmet cooking stores throughout San Diego County, including: Great News Cooking Store, The Kitchen Witch, and Bon Appetít.
In 2003, he spent several months traveling throughout South East Asia to study the various cuisines and cultures of several countries.  His primary emphasis was on Thailand, China, Cambodia, Singapore, and Malaysia.

In 2005, he again returned to Riverside, California with the dream of opening The Cooking Store, a retail store specializing in gourmet tools and cookware in combination with a cooking school.  The classes have been the highlight of the store.  The Cooking store has a state-of-the-art teaching kitchen that accommodates up to 40 students.  Chef Sevaly teaches most classes, which usually consist of five to six classes a week.  Students receive copies of all recipes and a taste of every dish prepared.  Questions can be asked throughout the class demonstration.  We also conduct classes for special events and parties.  In The Cooking Store over the last 3 1/2 years, he has instructed more than 800 classes.

In 2009, he published his first cookbook, Good Cooking! Hints, Tips, & Info Every Cook Needs to Know!  This is a comprehensive resource book that instructs basic cooking techniques, the use of tools, the compatibility of various ingredients, and much more.  He is currently working on his second book, Good Cooking – Sauces!

In the last year and one-half, Chef Sevaly has been showcased (ten times) teaching a cooking class on the television program Flavor of Riverside for the Riverside Cable Access channel.  Plus, for the past four years, he has been a regular contributor and resident chef of the Let’s Dine Out radio show on KTIE AM 590, every Saturday afternoon.

He is frequently requested to participate in a variety of cooking demonstrations and competitions.  Various philanthropic groups throughout Riverside County usually conduct these events.  He also acts as a judge at many of these events.  To name a few: “Primavera in the Gardens” at UCR, YWCA and Soroptimist International fund raising events, Riverside City College Culinary Academy events, etc.   He has also hosted meetings and served dinner for the Inland Empire Chapter of the American Culinary Federation.

In November 2010, he hosted a group of students on a culinary tour of Italy.
Due to the poor economic environment, The Cooking Store closed in May 2011.  Since then, Chef Sevaly has been organizing and cooking for several private and public catering events throughout Riverside County.

Here are some cooking demonstrations by Chef Robert:

Find Chef Robert Sevaly on Facebook.

Contact Chef Robert Sevaly