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An acclaimed California chef whose restaurants drew A-listers has died in a horror crash.
Rainer Schwarz, 59, was killed Monday afternoon when his car veered off Crown Valley Parkway, plowed through landscaping and crashed into a parking lot in Dana Point.
The Orange County restaurateur, who co-owned Laguna Beach beachfront hotspots Driftwood Kitchen and the Deck, was pronounced dead at the scene at around 4.50pm, authorities said.
He was driving an Audi near Pacific Coast Highway when the vehicle suddenly left the roadway and came to a stop in the lot, officials added.
The exact cause of the crash, as well as what led to Schwarz’s death, remains under investigation.
Schwarz was a prominent figure in Southern California’s dining scene, known for his oceanfront restaurants that attracted both locals and celebrity clientele.
Born in Klagenfurt, Austria, he began his culinary training at 15 before working at the Grand National Hotel in Lucerne, Switzerland, where he met renowned chef Joachim Splichal.
That connection eventually brought him to Los Angeles, where he continued to build his career in the United States.
Rainer Schwarz, 59, was killed Monday afternoon when his car veered off Crown Valley Parkway, plowed through landscaping and crashed into a parking lot in Dana Point
The Orange County restaurateur (left), who co-owned several Laguna Beach beachfront hotspots, was pronounced dead at the scene at around 4.50pm, authorities said
He later moved to Colorado, opening several bistros and pubs in the Denver area, before returning to California to serve as executive chef at the legendary Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood in 2009.
The Roosevelt has long been popular with celebrities, with Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, George Clooney, Jay-Z, Leonardo DiCaprio and LeBron James all reportedly being spotted there.
Schwarz went on to become a key player in Orange County’s restaurant scene, helping shape Driftwood Kitchen and the Deck into two of Laguna Beach’s most popular beachfront dining destinations.
He also created menus for Hendrix Restaurant and Bar in Laguna Niguel, which has since closed.
Friends and colleagues remembered Schwarz as a larger-than-life presence with a booming personality and a reputation for generosity.
‘He will be the most missed person in this industry,’ said fellow chef Amar Santana. ‘His smile was one of a kind, and his voice was something you could hear from a mile away.’
Santana added that Schwarz was one of the first chefs to welcome him into the Laguna Beach dining scene, recalling: ‘He was probably one of the few chefs that actually came to me and introduced himself. That, to me, was respect.’
Business partner John Nye paid tribute to Schwarz in a statement Tuesday, reflecting on their long working relationship.
Driftwood Kitchen in Laguna Beach, one of the oceanfront restaurants co-owned by chef Rainer Schwarz
The exact cause of the crash, as well as what led to Schwarz’s death, remains under investigation
Schwarz was a prominent figure in Southern California’s dining scene, known for his oceanfront restaurants that attracted both locals and celebrity clientele
The pair first collaborated at Disney’s Mondavi Project before reuniting at the Roosevelt Hotel and later teaming up to build the Deck and Driftwood Kitchen.
‘We always wanted to be recognized first for our people, then our food, and lastly, the location,’ Nye said.
‘That’s when we knew we had it right. If we had a legacy, it was the family and friends we have made in Laguna to this day.’
Schwarz is survived by his wife, Tasha, and their son, Max.
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