EPISODE · Sep 17, 2025 · 56 MIN
Breakfast Burritos to Wine Dinners: Sapphire's Recipe for Laguna Love
from Best of Laguna Beach · host Diane Armitage
On this week’s Best of Laguna Beach Radio Show & Podcast, I sat down with Sapphire Cellar.Craft .Cook Founding Partner Russ Bendel, and Partner/Executive Chef Jared Cook. Bendel and Cook are part of a small core team of restaurant pros, and I can safely say that this team knows what it takes to build restaurants that become community anchors. Before they took over former Chef Azmin’s Sapphire/Pantry space with their own brand and menu, they already had three successful restaurants – their first at San Clemente’s Vine, then Laguna Hills’ Ironwood and, then, Westcliff/Newport Beach’s Olea.They were handed the keys to Sapphire … literally DAYS before the Pandemic shutdown in 2020. How’s that for an interesting start?Now the keepers of seven thriving restaurants, Russ and Jared are not only talking about how the team jumped into action to survive the rollercoaster Pandemic, but sharing secrets behind Laguna’s most talked-about Breakfast Burrito, how many burger meat combos they tried before deciding on “The One,” and how their winter season Wine Dinners and seafood specials keep Sapphire buzzing all year long with their long-standing community of Laguna Beach locals.Show NotesThe Origin Story: How Russ grew up in the restaurant industry and Jared found his calling at age 5 in his mom’s Oregon kitchenFrom Vine to Sapphire: The team’s expansion into Laguna Beach, and why Sapphire’s 200-seat restaurant and prime location were irresistible.The Pandemic Pivot: Opening Sapphire in March 2020 … and pivoting overnight to takeout, Pantry breakfast burritos, and their now famous mason-jar craft cocktails.The Breakfast Burrito Legend: Jared’s research obsession to find the perfect combo … (he puts WHAT in that burrito??)Winter Wine Dinners That Sell Out in Hours: During winter months, these five-course experiences feature powerhouse wineries like Caymus, Silver Oak and Dave Phinney.Seafood & Clean Coastal Focus: From swordfish to countless pounds of oysters to “sexy seafood specials” (hey, Jared said, it, not me!), Sapphire leans into Laguna’s love for fresh, clean eating. Here are their personal favorites …Happy Hour & Beyond: Expanded bar menu, weekend brunch standouts (they name their personal favorites again), and the Pantry’s daily counter-service favorites.
What this episode covers
On this week’s Best of Laguna Beach Radio Show & Podcast, I sat down with Sapphire Cellar.Craft .Cook Founding Partner Russ Bendel, and Partner/Executive Chef Jared Cook. Bendel and Cook are part of a small core team of restaurant pros, and I can safely say that this team knows what it takes to build restaurants that become community anchors. Before they took over former Chef Azmin’s Sapphire/Pantry space with their own brand and menu, they already had three successful restaurants – their first at San Clemente’s Vine, then Laguna Hills’ Ironwood and, then, Westcliff/Newport Beach’s Olea.They were handed the keys to Sapphire … literally DAYS before the Pandemic shutdown in 2020. How’s that for an interesting start?Now the keepers of seven thriving restaurants, Russ and Jared are not only talking about how the team jumped into action to survive the rollercoaster Pandemic, but sharing secrets behind Laguna’s most talked-about Breakfast Burrito, how many burger meat combos they tried before deciding on “The One,” and how their winter season Wine Dinners and seafood specials keep Sapphire buzzing all year long with their long-standing community of Laguna Beach locals.Show NotesThe Origin Story: How Russ grew up in the restaurant industry and Jared found his calling at age 5 in his mom’s Oregon kitchenFrom Vine to Sapphire: The team’s expansion into Laguna Beach, and why Sapphire’s 200-seat restaurant and prime location were irresistible.The Pandemic Pivot: Opening Sapphire in March 2020 … and pivoting overnight to takeout, Pantry breakfast burritos, and their now famous mason-jar craft cocktails.The Breakfast Burrito Legend: Jared’s research obsession to find the perfect combo … (he puts WHAT in that burrito??)Winter Wine Dinners That Sell Out in Hours: During winter months, these five-course experiences feature powerhouse wineries like Caymus, Silver Oak and Dave Phinney.Seafood & Clean Coastal Focus: From swordfish to countless pounds of oysters to “sexy seafood specials” (hey, Jared said, it, not me!), Sapphire leans into Laguna’s love for fresh, clean eating. Here are their personal favorites …Happy Hour & Beyond: Expanded bar menu, weekend brunch standouts (they name their personal favorites again), and the Pantry’s daily counter-service favorites.
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Breakfast Burritos to Wine Dinners: Sapphire's Recipe for Laguna Love
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