Pasadena Home To Newest Creation of Famed Chef

Los Angeles is known to host many world-renowned chefs and their 'signature' restaurants. Like her style of cuisine, Scooter Kanfer, formerly of THE HOUSE on Melrose, has decided to be unique and open her signature establishment in Pasadena. Known for her innovative culinary creations and celebrity following, Kanfer will be opening her newest restaurant, NAYA, on Colorado Boulevard in Old-Town this January.
NAYA, meaning fresh and new, will be a white-linen service establishment in an intimate venue featuring Kanfer's "Progressive Seasonal" cuisine. As Kanfer explains, "Progressive Seasonal takes the best products and organic produce available. Freshness and sustainability will be the focus of my menu."
It seems Pasadena will finally be home to a restaurant that will have many food connoisseurs salivating.

About Scooter Kanfer
In 1985, Kanfer moved to Los Angeles from Queens, New York to pursue a career as a fine artist and a scenic painter in the film industry. In 1989, she decided to follow a long time love of the culinary arts. She launched her career under the coveted guidance of cooking luminaries including: Wolfgang Puck (of Spago, Granita and Chinois), Susan Feinger and Mary Sue Milliken (owners of the acclaimed CITY Restaurant and Border Grill Restaurants in Los Angeles and Las Vegas) and Fred Eric of the revolutionary Vita Restaurant in Los Feliz.
Initially hired as a pasta cook at Granita, Kanfer's talents were quickly recognized by Wolfgang Puck. She was then moved to the pastry department where she rose through the ranks to become assistant Pastry Chef at Granita within the year and then Pastry Chef at Chinois.
In 1993, Kanfer was then asked to work with Fred Eric, one of West Coast's cutting edge chefs. Their cheek approach to food, helped to secure Vita as one of Los Angeles's benchmark restaurants. Kanfer was responsible for creating what critics S. Irene Virbilia (Los Angeles Times) and Ruth Reichi (Editor in Chief of Gourmet Magazine) have termed 'whimsical and quirky' desserts.
Determined to establish her reputation as one of L.A.'s prominent and pioneering pastry chefs, Kanfer accepted the first of two private chef positions; one being with the Rothchild family at their seasonal estate in Barbados and the second with noted actor/comedienne, Sandra Bernhard.
With the encouragement of Ms. Bernhard, Kanfer took the rare and challenging opportunity to concoct a completely new dining experience; take a coffee shop by day and transform it into a hip, upscale bistro by night. The Hollywood Hills Cafi was soon embraced by restaurant patrons, celebrities and critics alike, putting Kanfer on the culinary map.
In December 2001, one of Kanfers dreams comes to a reality as she creates 'The House' a restaurant of her own where she is free to express her cutting edge vision and richly crafted culinary lexicon. In July 2003, she continued her ambitious drive and launched Scooter Cooks Company, an independent consulting company that specialized in product development and restaurant consulting.
Over the years, Kanfer has received raved reviews from both local and national media. Angeleno Magazine has sited 'The House' as one of Southern California's fifty most important restaurants. Caroline Bates of Gourmet Magazine writes, "food so honest it breaks your heart." Los Angeles Magazine writes, "Kanfer"s cooking is cause for celebration...A return to the true Arcadian America." Food and Wine Magazine has named Kanfer one of the best top 10 chefs. Kanfer also received an enviable invitation to cook one of her signature meals at the James Beard Foundation in the summer of 2002. Her presence has become frequent on the Food Network, PBS, and local radio.

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