An Immersive Culinary Experience at Casa Chameleon
In partnership with the Culinary Institute of America, we are raising funds to support aspiring chefs. All proceeds from our Flavors Beyond Borders event will go towards an endowment for a scholarship. This scholarship will provide financial assistance to qualified students pursuing their undergraduate degrees at the Culinary Institute of America.
At our inaugural Flavors Beyond Borders event at our resort in Las Catalinas, we crafted an extraordinary culinary experience for our guests, celebrating culture and flavor over four remarkable days.
The event raised more than $100,000 in support of the Culinary Institute of America’s student scholarships, empowering future chefs and celebrating the unifying power of food.
Featuring an extraordinary group of chefs, this event left a mark with their talent and vision. Their success stands as a testament to the profound effect of women standing together and leading with purpose.
Casa Playa – Wynn Las Vegas
Chef Sarah Thompson, a lover of Mexican cuisine and Executive Chef at Casa Playa pushes the culinary envelope of what cultural cuisine can be. Continually deepening her understanding of the roots of Mexican cuisine, she found a passion for it in the fine-dining Mexican restaurant Cosme under Chef Daniela Soto-Innes. Now, she employs over 50 percent of women on her staff and maintains a kitchen of locally selected seafood, a process she learned the importance of while studying at the CIA.
The Gourmandise School of Sweets & Savories
Chef Dara Yu is a 2021 CIA graduate. Beginning her career at age 12, Chef Yu competed and placed second in the first season of MasterChef Junior. After a decade of experience across kitchens in her home city of Los Angeles and earning a high honors degree in Baking and Pastry Arts, she returned to the MasterChef stage to claim a victory on the show’s “Back to Win” 12th season.
Jūn in Houston
Chef Evelyn Garcia, a 2010 CIA grad, set out on her culinary journey in New York, where she studied and worked for over a decade, cooking throughout NYC with stints at Jean-Georges’s Spice Market, Masak, and Kin Shop. After ten years, Chef Garcia returned to her Texan roots by opening Jūn & Kin HTX, a Houston-based Southeast Asian restaurant and wine bar meaning “to eat” or “family.” Chef Evelyn prevailed as a series finalist on the 19th season of Bravo TV’s hit show Top Chef. Earlier this month, Jūn was named a semi-finalist in the best new restaurant category of the James Beard Foundation Awards.
Lafayette Grand Café and Bakery
Chef Sophia Ruiz graduated from the CIA in 2023 with an affinity and proficiency for the art of baking and pastries. Upon receiving her degree, Chef Ruiz joined Lafayette Grand Café and Bakery, one of New York City’s top bakeries.
What to Expect
Experience the magic that happens when global chefs come together to celebrate the craft. We will create an unforgettable program for participants to engage in hands-on workshops, master- classes, and interactive sessions.
Nestled in the picturesque town of Las Catalinas, Casa Chameleon Hotel offers stunning ocean views, luxurious accommodations, and a serene ambience that will elevate this experience.
The resort, Casa Chameleon at Las Catalinas, is perched high on the hill-top above the new and developing walkable town of Las Catalinas situated five minutes away. If you look to the sea from Las Catalinas, the Pacific stretches in every direction and beckons with countless activities. The Hotel features 21 villas, each with its own personal salt water plunge pool, ocean views and minimalist contemporary design. Turning your gaze toward land, you’ll find over 1,000 acres of tropical forest, hills and valleys to explore on foot, bike or horseback.
Quickly becoming a crown jewel of Costa Rica, Las Catalinas, though a young town, seems wise beyond its years. Physically, the town is dotted with walkable streets and plazas where vehicles are prohibited. Private homes, flats and townhouses blend so well with the scenic overlooks that you forget Las Catalinas is only a decade old. As for the locals moving in, they are becoming the heart and soul of Las Catalinas as they define it and help it mature. They are the keepers of the shops, restaurants, and recreational facilities.
From soccer field in Potrero 4 kilometers north, Playa Danta, Guanacaste /// +506 2103-1200