On the Line: Rainer Schwarz Of Driftwood Kitchen, Part Two

My interview with Austrian-born chef Rainer Schwarz continues as he entertains our second round of questions. And did we mention that Driftwood is close to opening this month? Stay tuned . . .

Read our interview with Rainer Schwarz, part one.
And now, on to part two . . .

Tell us something most people don't know about you.
I used to be a professional chess player when I was younger.

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What was the last thing you looked up online?
My bank account!

Do you have any skills that are not food-related?
Not really . . . I can't even drive a nail straight into a wall.

When you're not in the kitchen, what are you doing in your free time?
The little time I have left I spend with my family and taking part in sports.

Where did you grow up? If you're not from Orange County, what brought you here?
Klagenfurt, Austria. My wife, Tasha, brought me to Orange County.

Favorite childhood memory:
My Dad's BBQ.

Last movie watched; how was it?
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Great movie.

What did you study in school? Did you always plan on being a chef?
I studied business in school. The road to becoming a chef came along later.

What would you be doing if you weren't in the industry?
If I were in the culinary world, I would definitely be interested in the world of sports!

Between your work and travels in Switzerland, Germany and France, where was your favorite place to live?
Switzerland because of the great cheese and the fact that I was able to go skiing every day.

Hardest lesson you've learned.
Be humble and appreciate what you've got. And also appreciate the hard work of others.

Driftwood Kitchen will be located at 619 Sleepy Hollow Ln, Laguna Beach, (949) 715-7700; www.driftwoodkitchen.com.

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